You Are Loved
by Genevieve Kelly
Summary: This is a sequel to It's a Tale of Woe and Revenge and its title and message are inspired by the song, You Are Loved by Josh Groban. Killian continues to struggle despite the support from Emma, Henry, and the rest of their loved ones. Meanwhile, old villains rise again creating havoc in the middle of the heroes happiness and Gold and Belle return from the Land of Untold Stories.
1. Chapter 1

You Are Loved

Chapter One

Emma stayed with Killian as much as she could for two days after they returned to Storybrooke while he was still unwell, suffering from his anguish and nightmares that were worse than before. When she couldn't be with him, Henry and her parents would take over until he no longer needed their critical care. Once he was recovered enough to be able to walk on his own, or at least as best as he was able to, Killian left the house he and Emma shared only days before disappearing again to stay on the Jolly Roger alone, with hardly an explanation.

The woman who loved the handsome pirate captain pleaded with him to stay with her so she could help him through his pain, but he pulled away as he simply, quietly asked her forgiveness. Emma didn't go after him despite how much she wanted to because she understood that he needed the time and space to try to get his head clear again. He feared appearing weak in front of her and in his eyes, she knew that he believed he was weak to have let this happen to them.

Four more days passed with few words between them aside from the nightly phone calls Killian made to Emma to assure her that he was alright, which was a lie. But she was grateful for his attempts to make her feel better anyways. Finally after six nights, Henry came to see him and entered the Captain's quarters, not expecting Hook to grant him an invitation as Killian had told him was required for those that stepped onboard a pirate ship in the former Author's alternate world. However, he did because Killian couldn't help, but admire the fifteen year old's defiance.

Henry spoke first saying brusquely, "Look, I'm sorry that I couldn't wait for you to be ready, but by you pushing my mom away from you while you're struggling, she's struggling just as much. She really needs you, Killian. And I know that you would certainly heal a whole lot faster if you would just put aside your own pigheadedness to try to heal alone."

Killian smiled sadly, then turned his head to look up at the boy from his bed as he responded, "Aye. I realize you're right. And I want to go to her."

"You don't want her to see you so vulnerable," the teenager answered for him, noticing the sheen of sweat and the fever that continued to cling to him. "I get it. I hate it when everyone's concerned about me too, but that's just it. You may still be sick and not back to yourself, but you're not weak. You know what Grandpa once told me when we were down in the Underworld, when I was worried about telling you guys what was really going on with me? He told me that some people would give anything to have a family like ours, which you are definitely a part of, because whatever's going on with you, with me, we both know that we always have someone we can talk to."

"That's good advice and it obviously worked for you," Hook replied as Henry took a seat beside him. "Dave has been known to have good advice from time to time."

Henry nodded as he responded, "Let it work for you too. I'm always here to listen if you want to talk, but more importantly, so is my mom. She's the Savior. Helping people is what she does, remember?"

Killian looked into the young man's eyes as he gently patted his knee and then he answered, "Thank you for being my voice of reason, Henry. And you're right once again. You're wise beyond your years, something I should have told you long ago."

"You did," he replied with a smile. "Not in those exact words, but you've always treated me as more than just a teenager, better than everyone else here. I appreciate it and I'm really glad that you're back, alive… again. You better not die anymore. I don't think we could handle it again for a fifth time."

"At least I'm a survivor," the Captain responded cheekily, then became serious once again as he placed his one hand over his half of Emma's heart. "Your mother has ensured it so. I can feel her love for me and it's the same love I feel for her."

Henry stood up and then turned back to his friend as he said in agreement, "That's true love all right. I knew that you two would get to this point eventually, though I wish it didn't take going down to the Underworld to save you to get you here."

Hook stated, "Indeed. Your mother is impossible, as you know."

"Can I ask you a favor, for when you're completely up to it of course?" Henry asked as he looked around the quarters.

"If you wish to ask me if I would take you and this fine ship out for another adventure on the high seas, then my answer is yes," Killian answered with sincerity. "I need to speak with your mother tonight, but tomorrow… if you have no plans?"

The sixteen year old immediately replied, "That'd be great, but you're still not fully recovered yet and…"

Killian responded quickly, "Nonsense. Despite the many dark days and nights I've spent aboard her, she's also given me peace. If I can find the words to confess my fears and pain to Emma, then this ship can heal me the rest of the way. I'd be happy to take you out."

Less than an hour later…

 _"Good evening, love," Killian spoke quietly as he walked into their bedroom in their home as Emma was preparing for bed, after he had spent the last several nights again onboard his ship despite Emma telling him he didn't have to hide his nightmares from him any longer. "I hope I'm not intruding."_

 _"This is your home too," she answered quickly as she rushed into his arms and held him tightly for as long as she dared to without hurting him. "I wish you could understand that."_

 _He raised her head gently with the side of his hook while he ran his fingers through her hair and leaned in to kiss her, then replied, "Aye, I know it is. I only meant to say that if you'll have me lie with you again tonight, then… I miss you terribly when I'm not with you. I know you think it unfair that I'm afraid to tell you all about my misery, but Emma I…"_

 _She laid a finger over his lips to stop him from talking and responded, "You don't have to explain, but your nightmares will only go away if you talk about them. Your father can't hurt you any longer because you defeated him by surviving and I won't let him or Liam harm you. I miss you too, Killian. And I love you. Please never shut me out again."_

 _"I won't," Hook sincerely answered and then kissed her again. "I love you too, Swan. I don't know what I would have done if my father or the villains would have hurt you. It would have destroyed me."_

 _"Let's just enjoy tonight together and tomorrow we'll have the celebration my parents are throwing," Emma replied and laid down on their bed beside the man she loved. "Oh, did you talk to Henry? He was really worried about you."_

 _Killian responded, "Aye. I'm taking him out on my ship, our ship, tomorrow. Come with us."_

 _Emma smiled, then answered, "Aye. I would love nothing more to go out into the ocean with my pirate and our son."_

"Our son?" he asked as he looked at her with surprise, but also with a newfound affection. "I mean… Don't get me wrong, Emma. I love Henry as if he could be my own, if I knew what it felt like to have a child of my own, but I had no idea that you felt in such a way to grant me this honor."

"You and I share a heart, as I told you when you first awoke on your ship," the Savior replied as she pulled him close to her and gently placed her hand over his chest where his half of her heart beat more calmly than it's done in days, as if to give him the last bit of strength he needed to fight off what remained of his fever once and for all. "I can feel how much you love him and how much you truly love me. It's far more than anyone ever could have and ever will love either of us, except for perhaps Neal, though only in regards to Henry. I never believed true love was possible for me, but now because of you I know it is and if our love can survive the darkness and the Underworld, then our love will last forever."

Killian leaned in as he kissed her lips softly, then put his hand over hers while pulling her against him with his other arm and whispered, "Emma, I wanted to do this properly. I haven't even the suitable ring yet and I wanted to talk with your parents for their blessing when I felt that you might be ready, but I fear I might still push you away, especially after I finish sharing the rest of my dark tale with you, but…"

Tears came to her eyes while Emma quickly kissed him to stop him from babbling on and then responded joyfully, "My answer is yes. I'm not afraid anymore. I know I love you as much as you love me and I wouldn't ever want to spend the rest of my life with anyone, but you. I will happily marry you."

"Then, we have much to talk about tonight," Hook answered while tears fell from his own eyes as well. "To get past our sorrow. And tomorrow night at the celebration, we can announce to everyone of our engagement."

"That sounds… perfect," the Savior replied while he continued to hold her in his arms.


	2. Chapter 2

You Are Loved

Chapter Two

"So, talk to me," Emma said quietly while moving Killian around to the bed behind him as she gently pushed him down, then went into the bathroom to grab a clean towel, ran it under cold water, came back out to sit beside him, and began to wipe it over his face , neck, and chest. "Your father and Milady told me their plan to…"

"Their plan to bring back Captain Hook," Killian replied as he attempted to push her hands away, then stand until she moved closer and held him for a few moments to ensure him that he needn't refuse her help. "I know. I know and I couldn't stop him."

She stubbornly continued with her ministrations after she pulled off his leather duster, then unbuttoned his shirt and responded, "But you did stop him, Killian. You stopped your father from killing August, you took a heavy blast from Jafar for me, and you protected Henry when your father and the villains kidnapped him and Violet."

He looked away in shame as he objected, "But I couldn't hold him back for long. I could see, hear, and feel everything. I hurt your own father when I slashed my hook across his chest to escape from the diner. I led my father right to Liam and pulled the boy into the trouble that I created when I killed him. I felt as my father used my body to make love with Milady de Winter more than once and I felt sick, but I couldn't do anything about it. I tried to picture your face, but he was too strong. I still held my cutlass and hook to your friend's throat."

"I'm so sorry, Killian," Emma answered sadly as she closed her eyes upon understanding why he felt so ashamed. "However you can't blame yourself for being out of control. Regina explained how the binding link worked. The spell made you weak, not weak in the sense that… What I mean to say is that there was no way you could have fought against your father any more than you did. You should be proud of yourself for fighting against him as often as you did. I know I'm proud of you. As for my father, you didn't hurt him hardly at all."

"You're lying," Hook replied in frustration. "I remember exactly what I did. "

The Savior picked up his hook and twisted it from his brace, then gently worked on the straps that held his brace over his arm to pull it off for him as she responded, "But he's alright. I was able to heal him quickly. And he doesn't hold it against you. As for Milady…"

Killian immediately retorted, "Please don't. I just want to see that she is properly punished."

"And she will be," Emma answered firmly. "Tomorrow morning before we go out, me, Henry, Mom, and Dad are meeting at the jail so that Henry can use his quill to magic her into her story, just as he did to Hyde."

"I didn't even ask about what happened with the other villains," he replied. "Is the town safe?"

She nodded as she responded, "For now it is. The others are still free, but Mom said that they have been staying in the woods within Hyde's cloak that surrounds it. If they make any attempt to attack us, we'll take care of them too."

Hook looked into her eyes as he asked worryingly, "And Liam? The boy hasn't done anything, Emma. He doesn't deserve to be punished for his father's actions, not for loving a man who was the father to him that I wished he had been for me and Liam."

"You're right," the Savior answered as she stopped her ministrations for a moment to be able to stroke his cheek and look back at him. "He was inside the same cell as your father for a few days while he took time to cool down. He was angry and threatened your life. I wasn't about to let him roam around Storybrooke to make good on it. He's free now, but if he tries anything against you…"

"He won't, Emma," Killian replied despondently. "He deserves a better chance for a good life than the one that I made for him. All of you can give that to him."

Emma leaned against his chest as he continued to ask, "What of my father?"

She sighed in frustration at Killian's concern for those who don't deserve his forgiveness, even if it was part of what she loved about him, and then responded, "He's about as you would expect. He hates being in Jafar's body even without the binding link to trap him inside, but he should be grateful I didn't send him straight back to the Underworld for all he's done to you. Please don't ask me to release him. He deserves to remain in jail until I know he isn't a threat. I'll be damned if I let him hurt you again. I know you're thinking that you're at fault for him becoming a villain, like you feel you are for Rumpelstiltskin becoming a villain, but you aren't. I saw the moment you killed your father."

"I don't understand," he stated fearfully before she could finish.

"It's all right," Emma answered as she swiftly sat up and looked at him with concern, then placed her hands on the sides of his face to try to comfort him. "It doesn't change anything between us. I saw the agony and shame on your face over your decision that night, just as I saw and understand why you felt you had to do it. It wasn't right, but as I've told you so many times, you're not that man anymore, Killian. You've redeemed yourself. Do you really believe that a Savior would have allowed herself to fall in love with a villain?"

Without looking at her, Hook whispered, "You're too forgiving, love. I wish I could have spared you from having to see what I did. I never wanted you to fear me. How did you do it, and why?"

She turned his head to get him to finally look at her as she replied firmly, "I don't fear you. I never did. I only feared what could have happened had I not reminded you that there was more to care about than yourself, but you made me trust you and then love you. You did that because you are good man despite all that you did that you're ashamed of. As for why, it was the only way we could find you and Liam. So Regina opened a mirror into your past. It helped us find Liam, who then led us to you… your father and Milady. I only regret that I had to pry into your memories without your permission."

"Swan, I…" Killian began until she leaned in to kiss him again.

"Please, don't keep putting yourself down," Emma responded. "Just keep talking to me. It will take more than a long talk to move past all this, but for tonight that's all we need to do. The rest will come with time and me reminding you as many times as you need that you're worthy of being forgiven and to have my love. Because you are and you do, Killian."

Hook smiled sadly as he answered, "I want to believe you. I thought I did when you told me so down in the Underworld, but when trouble comes between us such as it has, it takes us backward in our progress. I fear that something may come yet again."

The Savior held him close as she spoke again saying quietly, "When it does, I'm right here."


	3. Chapter 3

You Are Loved

Chapter Three

When Emma awoke early the next morning, after having gotten only a few hours of sleep once she and Killian had stopped talking to try to get some rest, she slowly rolled over onto her back to look behind her for Killian and found that he was no longer lying beside her as he had been before they fell asleep in each other's arms. She immediately sat up as she called out to him, hoping that perhaps he might be close by. However, he didn't answer, then she noticed that his boots, brace, and hook were all missing. As she stood from the bed, it was then that she found a note he left for her to let her know that he was going down to the jail to talk with his father and Liam, who's been spending most of his time there even after he was released since he had no place else to be. Emma immediately grabbed the note as she crumpled it in her hand, then rushed to get herself dressed and finally ran to find the man she loved.

Killian, having slept less than an hour in short bouts once the memories and nightmares flooded back into his mind, slowly walked from their home into town and found it was still quiet, just as it should be around six o'clock in the morning. The only people he supposed would be awake now were Granny while she prepared her diner for those who went early for breakfast, others who owned their own shops, and whoever it was currently guarding over the prisoner at the jail.

When he arrived at the sheriff's station, Hook froze in the entryway upon feeling his chest tighten in anxiety and then realized that he had no idea what he was really going to say to the man who had gotten his revenge on him, by making him suffer within himself while his father had used his body to bring back Captain Hook for a short while. Killian didn't want to ever see his father again, but he knew that he had to confront his fear if he had any hope of moving past his pain and making things right between himself and Liam.

He took a few moments to breathe in and out deeply, then finally stepped into the main room where he found David standing over the desk in front of the two cells as he was serving the oldest Jones and Milady their breakfast from Granny's, while Brennan's sixteen year old son was standing a few feet away watching the sheriff's every move as if he believed those in this town might just kill his father instead of keeping him prisoner.

Liam tensed upon seeing Killian enter and when David noticed him do so, he immediately turned toward the direction of the young man's line of sight, then saw his friend behind him as he stated with surprise, "Hook? I was expecting you to come a bit later. Is Emma behind you?"

He shook his head and answered quietly, "No, I uh… let her sleep. We spoke well into the night. I didn't have the heart to wake her this early."

"You have some nerve coming here," Storybrooke's newest teenager sneered as he glared at the pirate captain, while Killian remained back near David's office, looked at the boy for a moment and lowered his head until the Prince walked around his desk to stand in front of Liam to keep him from moving toward Hook. "I figured you would try coming here at some point, but if you think you can just apologize and make everything okay between us, guess again, you bastard."

"Hey, that's enough!" David replied angrily as he grabbed hold of the young man and pushed him back, then Milady laughed as if the confrontation was some kind of show for her amusement, while Brennan simply smiled cruelly at his good son's coldness toward his other son. "You may have a right to be angry, but you're not going to try to make a move against Hook here, now or any other time either. Do you understand me?"

Killian spoke again saying, "It's all right, David. I wouldn't have come at all if I couldn't handle a little hostility. I expected as much."

The Prince stepped back, then turned to his friend again as he responded, "It doesn't make it right. Is there something I can help you with? Do you need…"

"Actually, I was hoping to have a few moments alone with Liam and… my father," Hook answered as he looked over at his friend. "I just want a chance to talk."

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Charming replied nervously. "It's not that I'm worried about you so much, as I'm more worried about myself. Emma would kill me if I left you alone with them and you were to get hurt."

He laughed softly and then responded, "You're probably right. Please, I assure you nothing will happen. My father can't do anything as he's behind bars and I don't fear a mere boy your own grandson's age. I'll be just fine, but uh… could you do me a favor first and possibly remove Milady to some place until I'm finished?"

The assassin slowly loosened the ribbons at the top of her corset to reveal more of her breasts to Killian as she had done for Liam and said smugly, "What's the matter? Did poor Captain Hook not enjoy the extremely satisfying pleasure I showed you and your father, not just once, but twice while on our little adventure?"

Killian immediately turned away from both the villainess and especially from David in shame while he leaned over the desk as if he had become sick, then he suddenly slammed his hook down hard against the desk, creating a fairly large hole and crack in the wood the top of it was made out of and answered angrily, "Captain Hook is dead! I am not that man any longer. Perhaps you're right, David. Another time might just be better. I'm sorry to have wasted your time."

"Hook… Killian wait!" David shouted after him with worry once again as his friend rushed out of the station, then turned around to face the vile woman, Brennan, and Liam, all of whom clearly found it to be very satisfying to see Killian's humiliation as they all began to laugh. "Go ahead and have your fun now while you can. Because you won't be so smug when your punishment is carried out. Your son is a good man, Jones. And he's been an even better friend to me than I deserve. He isn't the villain he used to be and he's certainly worth a lot more than you think he is. You should be ashamed of yourself for treating your son so maliciously, despite the mistakes he made."

"Mistakes?" Brennan stated angrily. "You think killing me was a mistake? I saw the look in his eyes that night. I saw his hate and the same thirst for revenge he held for Rumpelstiltskin all those centuries, for me as well in that moment he thrust his dagger in my chest. He made me the man I am today! I don't care what you think of my son, Prince. But it's Killian's fault we're all in this position we are now."

"I won't let you keep on hurting him and neither will the rest of us in this town," Charming replied again and was about to say more until Emma suddenly ran inside as she noticed the new puncture in the desk she immediately knew where it had come from, then looked at her father with fear when she didn't see the man she loved.

She quickly asked in fear, "Where's Killian? What happened?"

Her father walked over to her as he placed his hand gently on her shoulder to guide her into his office and then responded, "He was here a minute ago, but… Well, the conversation he wasn't hoping to have with his father and brother, didn't go over so well. Things were said."

"What kind of things?" she asked in frustration as she turned her back to him and struggled to think about where Killian might be headed.

"It was actually Milady that got under his skin," David answered as he looked over at the prisoners and the younger Liam through the windows. "She called him Captain Hook as if to taunt him and then mentioned something about how she had seduced him. I had no idea."

Emma closed her eyes briefly as her anger rose within her, then turned back to David as she replied curtly, "That bitch seduced Brennan while in Killian's body, that's it!"

Charming sighed and responded, "Of course. That's what I meant. I know he would never…"

"Of course he wouldn't," she interrupted. "He's blaming himself for things that were completely out of his control. I know that he's trying to hide his fear from all of us so that we won't see him as weak, but he's hurting so much more than he's letting on and I have no idea how I'm going to get through to him."

"You will find a way to help him, Emma," David answered, then kissed the top of her head and pulled her into a hug. "You always do."

She nodded and then replied, "I'm going to go check the docks and his ship for him. He's taking me and Henry out in a while, even though he's really not up to it. He's still recovering from being so sick and with the lack of sleep he's been getting, the pain he's been feeling, and the nightmares… He still insisted. When Henry and Mom gets here in a bit, go ahead and serve Milady the justice she deserves without me. As for Liam, tell him he needs to find another way to spend his time for awhile. I don't want Brennan having any visitation rights or any other sort of pleasure. If I could, I would cut him off from food and probably even have Henry pull him into Jafar's story, but seeing as he isn't Jafar and that his own story has yet to appear in any of our books, it wouldn't be right. Besides, I promised Killian I wouldn't, like I promised him I wouldn't kill him."

Charming nodded and responded, "Don't worry, I'll help to make him as miserable as I can. Go find Killian. And fun out there today. Once we're through here, we'll send Henry to find you on the Jolly Roger."

"Thank you, Dad," the Savior answered sadly. "We'll see you later tonight at Granny's. I love you."

"Love you too," he replied, then watched his daughter walk away.

Meanwhile…

Two women came out from Granny's as Hook left the sheriff's station, while the younger of them watched him walk past them without so much as a look in their direction, though they saw the despair on his face as he did so, then she said quietly, "It looks like there's trouble in paradise between Emma and her pirate. I thought their relationship seemed so perfect."

As if she were able to read her daughter's thoughts, her mother quickly warned her, "Lily darling, if you're thinking about trying to come between them by going after him…"

"Relax, Mom," she responded in frustration. "Sure he's gorgeous, but believe me, I'm trying to prove to Emma that I can be better than I am for you, since you can't leave this God forsaken town without turning back into ashes. I want to get back into her good graces and going after her boyfriend isn't a good way to do that. But you did promise to teach me to be a scary dragon bitch the first week I was here and now it's been a few weeks, remember?"

"I do," Maleficent spoke again. "We'll begin today, right now."


	4. Chapter 4

You Are Loved

Chapter Four

Emma left the station and headed swiftly in the direction of the harbor where she figured Killian would have gone. However, when she made it to the end of the street, she found him leaning against one of the buildings with his head hung back against the brick wall and his eyes closed, as she had seen him do before whenever he needed someplace quiet to collect himself and to calm his anger. Although, it was usually his ship or to the beach where he would go for privacy, not just a spot in town where anyone could see him as they walked by.

"Killian?" she whispered softly as she made her way over to him, then reached up to tenderly stroke his cheek in hope that she wouldn't startle him. "Killian, I'm so sorry. Dad told me what happened."

"I foolishly believed it was a good idea to try to talk with my father and Liam this morning when I awoke," he responded when he lowered his head and leaned into her embrace as Emma pulled him into her arms. "It was early. I didn't want to wake you anymore than I've already done the other nights we've spent together. I'm sorry, love. I thought that I could handle a confrontation. I just wished to put all of this behind us both as soon as possible."

She gently ran her fingers along the back of his head through his hair while she replied, "I wish you would have waited for me to come with you. I could have spared you from any further guilt. I know that you've had to wait a long time for everything in your life. Revenge on Rumpelstiltskin, which eventually you were able to let go of, the pain over losing Milah to subside, a peace of mind, and finding love again… But restoration with your father and Liam isn't something you can rush either. Tell me what happened. My dad said a little, but there's more to what Milady said and did, isn't there?"

Killian pulled back and turned his head away from her as he answered sadly, "I thought I could help myself if I just tried talking to them, to try to make my amends, but you're right. It was much too soon. And then like always, I allowed my anger get the better of me, in front of them and your father for which I am truly ashamed. I never meant to…"

"Shhh…" Emma responded quietly while she placed her hand beneath his chin and turned his head to help him look at her. "You don't have to feel ashamed every time you lose your temper. You didn't hurt anyone, only a lousy desk. And you never will. Believe me, I've lost my own temper more times than I can count, especially when I first arrived here in Storybrooke. My parents and everyone have always forgiven me, even when my anger toward them is unjustified. Just as you have. Milady will be punished this morning before we go out onto the ocean and what she and your father did to you, it wasn't your fault or anything that you had any control over. I don't blame you, Killian. Please, try to understand this."

"It wasn't so much that she reminded me of hers and my father's rancid little affair, Emma," he replied sadly as he suddenly looked down at his hook. "I've been Captain Hook for such a long time. And whenever people see this piece of metal that has been my hand for three hundred years, Captain Hook is exactly who everyone sees me as too. Even David rarely sees me as anyone else, though I know we've finally gotten past the hostility between us over the years and considers me a friend. It's as though Killian Jones no longer exists anymore, in anyone's eyes except maybe in your own. Perhaps he really is the one who died, but long before I died weeks ago. I will never be rid of the villain I am…"

Before he could finish, Emma took his hooked hand in her own and raised it up to his chest over the heart they shared as she answered with compassion, "Were. The villain you were before we met and yes you will rid yourself of that man. You already have. You're wrong about Killian not being the man I'm looking at right now, staring into his beautiful eyes. Killian Jones is very much alive. This piece of metal, your hook, it doesn't defy who you are, Killian. And neither does your name. I may use your moniker from time to time, but it's out of love. As it is for everyone else here, especially Henry and my parents. They love you too and when we announce our engagement tonight, they will all be thrilled. You'll see. Don't let your hook break you. You're much stronger than that."

Killian immediately leaned in to kiss her, then pulled back to look into her eyes as she was his and whispered, "I love you, Emma. If only you had come into my life long before we met."

"If I had, I doubt we would have found ourselves here, madly in love and happy," she responded affectionately while she smiled at him, then looked around them and noticed Gold in the distance standing in the middle of the street as he faced their direction until she and Hook turned before walking back into his shop disappearing from view.

"He's returned," Hook stated in frustration. "And here I was hoping that Gold had chosen to remain in the Land of Untold Stories."

Emma nodded and then replied, "We should go talk with him, to see if he was able to wake Belle and if she's returned to town with him. I feel as though we've been neglecting her since she came to us in the Underworld, then left us to look for him again. We were so caught up with everything else, that we didn't take the time to make sure that she was alright and she wound up under a sleeping curse so that she could get away from Gold."

Killian answered, "Aye. And we should make sure that the Crocodile didn't make any other kind of stipulation in his deal he made with Hyde that might cause us all more trouble than we need."

A few minutes later, Mr. Gold looked over toward the door to the sound of the bell over it ringing and watched as Emma and Hook walked inside, then simply smiled before turning back to wiping away the dust that covered a large jar he just sat on one of the counters, keeping their view of whatever it was blocked.

"Well hello again, dearies," the real villain said smugly while he kept his back to them. "I thought you might stop by for a visit this lovely morning. And what exactly can I do for you today?"

"That's really how you're going to talk to us, after all the trouble you've caused us?" the Savior asked sternly.

Gold finally stopped what he was doing and turned to look at them as he responded, "I realize you must still be angry about my attempt to kill you, as well as my efforts to steal all of your magic…"

Killian swiftly added, "And the fact that you made a deal with Hyde so that he could come here to take over Storybrooke, setting loose a number of other villains such as yourself to wreak havoc."

"Yes Captain, and then there's that," the older man replied smugly once more. "But it looks as though you both came out victorious and unscathed, just as I suspected you all would. Since you're not threatening me at the moment, clearly everyone else has come out perfectly fine as well. We all got what we wanted."

"I take it that means you were able to wake up Belle then?" Emma asked. "Where is she?"

The man looked at her callously as he answered, "She's getting herself checked out by Dr. Whale, to make sure that our baby is alright after being under her sleeping curse for as long as she was. You'll be happy to hear, she's leaving me for good this time. She wants nothing to do with me so long as I remain the Dark One. And seeing as there's no way to rid myself of the darkness without what happened the last time we tried to… Well, it looks like I have to live with my wife no longer loving me and being unable to help raise yet another child."

Hook glared at him as he responded brusquely, "It's the least you deserve. How did you wake her?"

"Let's just say, I had a chat with another God whom I found living within the new land you, the Charmings, and the Wicked Witch had stumbled across," Rumpelstiltskin replied and then walked back toward the counter in the back of his shop, finally revealing to the two heroes what he was keeping hidden from them since they walked in. "We came to an understanding and made a deal. Then, he helped to lift the curse after I released her from Pandora's Box."

"What the hell is that?" Emma asked appallingly as she looked more closely at the lifeless hand soaking within the unknown fluids inside the large jar, while Killian turned to glare at Gold coldly upon seeing his hand on display, clenching his jaw tightly as he fought to keep his anger in. "Why do you have… Wait, is that…?"

Gold kept his eyes locked on Hook as he answered cruelly, "Your lover's lost hand? Why of course it is, dearie. How many other hands do you think I've collected over the years?"

Emma immediately looked over at Killian worryingly as he finally spoke up again saying, "You've been spying on Emma and me since you've returned, haven't you? You watched and listened in on our conversation we had just before we walked in here and thought you'd have yourself a good laugh at my expense by taunting me even more after putting my hand on display for the whole town to see. Isn't that so, Crocodile?"

"No, no," the villain responded coolly as he turned away from the heroes to continue to dust off more of his rarer of valuables. "I was simply reorganizing a few things here in my shop and I haven't had the chance to put your hand away again before you both came barging in here to disrupt my morning."

"You're lying," the Savior replied angrily as she gently squeezed Killian's arm and then stepped closer to the monster trying to make the man she loved even more distraught than he already was. "After all these years, you've kept it right here in your shop?"

Rumple chortled and then answered, "Of course I have. I am a collector or rare objects and the hand of a three hundred year old pirate certainly qualifies. Besides, how else do you think I was able to restore his actual hand to him on the night of your special date?"

She looked over at Killian again as she responded sadly, "Gold did something to it. He cursed it somehow, didn't he? That's why you reacted the way you did when that thief disrupted our date, and why your hand was gone when I saw you again the next day."

"Aye, he took my yearning to make myself whole for you and fed on my vanity and fear when he graciously granted me what I wanted, after I threatened to tell Belle about him giving her a fake dagger to hold onto while he kept the real one," he replied nervously while keeping his eyes trained on his unattached hand. "He warned me that by doing so, I might revert man to the man I was… the man I fear I've been all along, but I didn't listen. I thought it was only one of his bloody mind games. But I was wrong. It was changing me. I was quicker to anger. I was the one who gave that thief the black eye you asked him about, then threatened his life. I feared I would hurt you so I returned to the Dark One to have him remove it again, but…"

"But he blackmailed you into helping him to trap the Apprentice inside his hat in exchange for him having the hand removed again," Emma finished for him as she took his good hand in hers, then he turned his head toward her again so that they were looking into each other's eyes while she continued. "Oh, Killian. I should have listened to you when you told me that something went wrong when I asked you where your hand was. I should have known, but I was so caught up with the Snow Queen and Elsa, then with my powers going haywire, that I shook it off. To make matters worse, even when I finally did realize you were in trouble, I still chose to help get Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff home first. I was nearly too late to save you and if it weren't for Belle, you would have died that night when Gold tried to crush your heart."

Killian shook his head as he answered, "What you were doing at the time was important and I got myself into that mess. In the end, the Crocodile tricked me. He said that my hand was never cursed, that it was only meant to remind me who I really was and gave me permission to be that man again. It's exactly as I've been saying all along, Swan."

She swiftly retorted, "I refuse to believe that. You said it yourself. Gold has been spying on us and so he must know how much you are struggling right now with your father and Liam too. Like them, he's only trying to push you over the edge until you break. Please, please just listen to me."

"I want to believe you," Hook responded wearily as he rested his head against hers, seeming to forget that the villain was still in the room with them.

"Just don't listen to him," Emma whispered. "Listen to me."

Gold replied, "You're going to have to do better than that to help him now, Miss. Swan."

The Savior suddenly turned back to Gold again as she swiftly flicked her wrist to make Killian's hand inside the jar vanish, then said angrily, "And I will. You have no right to keep what doesn't belong to you, especially his hand that you stole from him. We will talk to Regina and she will help us to know the truth as to whether or not you really cursed it or not."

"No, there's no point in that," Killian objected fearfully. "Cursed or not, I don't want that lump of flesh back. I would always be reminded of what the bloody Crocodile has made me do while trapped under his service. Though I hate that I will never again be able to hold you with two hands…"

All of a sudden Hook was cut off when the door opened as Belle walked inside, followed by Lily, who entered behind her. Both women were surprised to see Emma and Killian there, as Belle looked nervously between them and her husband, who immediately pulled a chair out from the back room and motioned for her to have a seat. Lily began to look around the shop upon realizing she had chosen to come in at a bad time and pretended not to pay any attention to them as she did so.

"Belle, it's really good to see you again," Emma stated as she and Killian faced her, not caring in that moment about their earlier conversation. "How are you feeling?"

The younger woman smiled as she answered honestly, "I'm fine, really. Dr. Whale assured me that my baby and I are perfectly healthy, despite being under the sleeping curse. It's good to see that you've all made it home from the Underworld, especially you, Killian. I'm glad they were able to save you."

He smiled as he responded, "Thank you, Belle."

"You'll forgive me, I've actually come to gather a few of my things before I head to Granny's and get a room for awhile until I can find a more permanent place to live," the beauty spoke again sadly as she stood again and started walking toward the back room. "I don't know if Rumple told you, but we're no longer together. He won't ever change like I used to believe he would. I can't keep allowing him to break my heart."

"Let me help you," Emma replied as she quickly looked back at Killian as if to make sure he was alright, then moved to follow after her.

When the women left, Lily walked over to where Gold was standing at his counter and said quietly, "I'm sorry for coming at such an awkward time, Mr. Gold. But I was hoping you could help me. My mother is going to teach me some of her magic and we need a few supplies."

Gold smiled at her as he answered, "I know your mother well and I think I know exactly what it is you're looking for. If you'll wait here for a few minutes, I'll go into the back of my shop to get them for you."

"Thank you," Lily called out as the villain walked away, then she turned her head to look back at Killian, who had his eyes closed in frustration as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It appears everyone's having a rough morning," she stated again to the pirate captain. "I think it's a pity, such a beautiful day."

Hook looked at her when he realized she was talking to him and then responded, "Yes, I believe you're right. It's good to see you again, Miss. Page."

She smiled at his formality, then replied, "Lily. Please, call me Lily."

"Lily," he answered with a smile and then started to turn away again while he continued to wait for Emma until the woman who was Emma's childhood friend reached out to spin him around, but he flinched at the contact. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… Perhaps I should wait outside."

"No!" she immediately cried. "No, please don't go. I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to know if you and Emma would like to join me and my mother for dinner one night, so that we can make an effort to finally get to know some people around here. I mean, I already know Emma so well, though it has been a long time since we've seen each other before I came here. But Maleficent doesn't know her well and I don't know you. I would certainly… like to."

It was then that Killian got a strange sense from her as he responded, "Perhaps it best if you speak with Em…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Lily suddenly grabbed his face and neck to pull his head down so she could kiss him, but Killian immediately pushed her away as he glared at her and asked angrily, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm… I'm sorry," she replied coldly, feeling humiliated by his rejection. "I don't know what came over me. I just thought that there was something more between us, but I clearly misread your kindness. While you were gone, in the Underworld, I spoke a lot with Smee and the rest of your crew. They told me about the kind of man you are, or used to be and that you used to like many women. I thought you might like me too."

"Mr. Smee and my former crew have big mouths and I'm not that man any longer," Hook answered brusquely. "I assure you, I only love one woman and will only ever love one woman. I love Emma."

Emma walked back into the main room as she asked, "Is everything all right out here?"

Killian looked at her as he nodded and responded, "Not really, but we can talk about it later. I think I'm going to go talk with someone for a few minutes before I head to the Jolly Roger to prepare for our voyage. Why don't you finish up here with Belle, then grab us something for lunch at Granny's before you and your boy meet me there?"

"Okay," she replied strangely, as Lily swiftly stormed out of the pawnshop without collecting the supplies she had come for, knocking into Killian as she passed him. "What was that about?"

"Your friend misread me," he answered and then kissed Emma before he left. "We'll talk about it later. Try not to worry about me. I'm alright. See you soon, love."


	5. Chapter 5

You Are Loved

Chapter Five

Killian walked further down the street toward his final stop before heading back to the harbor and became lost in his thoughts, scolding himself inside his mind over allowing his emotions to overpower him, not just in front of Emma, but especially in front of Gold. It was bad enough for him to allow the woman he loved to see him so vulnerable, but because he did so, his darkest enemy was able to play on his inner turmoil and use it against him, just as the villain's done many times over since they met centuries ago. Then, there was Lily too.

However, his thoughts were suddenly disrupted when a voice called out just ahead from where he was now standing and when he looked up, Killian saw August walking toward him as his new friend asked, "Hey, a penny for your thoughts?"

Hook looked at him in him confusion as he stated, "Excuse me?"

"Nothing, it's just a phrase those of us from the modern world say sometimes when we see someone we know looking troubled," the younger man replied.

"Yes, I realize that," Killian answered and then followed August back to his garage when he motioned for him to do. "I mean… I'm sorry, it appears my thoughts are causing me to struggle with words this morning."

August laughed, then responded, "Believe me, finding the right words with Emma can definitely be a struggle sometimes. At least you didn't have to try to convince her you were sane when you were trying to convince her that you are turning into a wooden puppet."

Killian smiled and replied, "Fair point. Actually, that's not it. Emma and I are fine. I uh… I was hoping I could talk to you about something, regarding us."

"Of course," the once wooden boy answered as Marco stopped working on the project he was working on upon hearing his son and Hook coming in, then walked over to them as he reached out his hand to shake Killian's in greeting.

"Welcome, my friend," the old man said with sincerity. "Please, come in. It is good to see you again. How are you feeling? David, Snow, and Miss. Swan have told us you've been very ill."

The Captain shook his head and responded, "I am certain they were exaggerating, but I appreciate your concern. I'm well. Thank you."

Pinocchio's father patted Hook's shoulder as he replied, "No, it is I who should be thanking you, Killian. You saved my boy's life at great cost to your own. I will forever be indebted to you."

"You owe me nothing, I assure you," Killian answered sadly, looking away. "I've done nothing worth being rewarded with your generosity."

"Nonsense," August responded in understanding, noticing how uncomfortable his friend had suddenly become. "You're being modest. Despite what you might think, you did save me and I will always be grateful like my father is. Now, enough about what happened in the Enchanted Forest. How about we talk about what you came here to talk about. What's on your mind?"

Killian reached into his pocket and pulled out a large gold coin, then kept his eyes trained on it while he replied anxiously, "When I first met Emma, the circumstances were… well to say the least they were complicated and we didn't exactly get off to the right start. Our circumstances didn't exactly end well either. Yet somehow, I found myself here in Storybrooke seeking revenge on my enemy, but instead found a woman who changed me for the better. After centuries, I didn't think it was possible and I still don't understand why she loves me, but I love her. I've kept this coin because it represents our first adventure together, even if it was a rocky one. Last night we talked and… to end my inane chatter, Emma and I have decided to marry."

Marco clapped his hands together and then answered, "Well this is a call for a celebration. The Savior and our dear friend going to get married. Congratulations, Captain!"

"Wow, congratulations, Killian," August responded in agreement to his father's sentiment. "And for what it's worth, you're certainly not the only one who's changed for the better here. I have and so has Emma ever since you came into her life. Believe me, I know. Who else knows about this?"

"No one," Hook quickly replied. "And I ask that you don't tell anyone either. We plan to announce it tonight at Granny's during the celebration honoring our safe return home."

August nodded as he answered, "Of course, you have our word. But why tell us ahead of time? I'm glad we're finally getting the chance to get to know one other, but we haven't many opportunities yet."

Killian responded, "You're Emma's best friend and you risked your life to help her save mine. If anyone owes anyone, it's I you. But that isn't necessarily why I've come. I was hoping you could do me the honor of turning this coin into a ring for her. And if there's enough left over, one for myself. You see, it was a coin I well… plundered from the giant's castle on top of the beanstalk Emma and I climbed together the day we met."

"It would truly be an honor for us, my boy," Marco replied as he took the coin when Killian handed it to him. "But I am a simple wood carver and my son is a mechanic. Neither of us know much about melting down metal to shape it into something beautiful such as two engagement rings of this importance."

"Nor I, but when in Neverland, I had to learn to mold many of my own weapons to defend myself against Pan and the Lost Boys, even while I was still in their service," Hook answered as he looked between the two men standing across from him. "I think between the three of us, we can do it."

August reached out to shake his hand as Marco had and then responded, "We would love to. Congratulations again, Killian. You both deserve to be happy after all you've been through."

The Captain smiled as he spoke again saying, "Thank you both. By the way, how would you gentlemen like to join me, Emma, and Henry onboard the Jolly Roger for a day's journey?"

Meanwhile…

When Lily stormed out after being rejected by Killian inside Gold's shop, she ran back to Granny's diner and up to the apartment which she was currently sharing with her mother so long as she was in town, ran inside and slammed the door behind her, then she screamed in anger as Maleficent immediately dropped the old book she was skimming through and raced over to her daughter.

"What's wrong, Lily?" she asked worryingly. "Are you all right?"

"Do I look alright to you, Mother?" the younger woman asked coldly. "I went to Gold just like you asked me to and asked him for the supplies you said we needed, but I didn't get them. I screwed up, again!"

Maleficent moved her to stand over the couch and then gently pushed her down to sit beside her as she replied quietly, "Just calm down, and tell me what happened. Whatever it is we can fix it, I promise."

Lily scoffed as she answered, "I highly doubt it. It's like I told you, I destroy everything I touch because of what Emma and her parents did to me. Because they made me the anti-savior. I tried to resist, really I did."

"Resist what, darling?" the dragon sorceress asked again sadly as she began to stroke her daughter's hair to try to comfort her. "Please, don't stop now."

"When I walked into the shop, Emma and her pirate boyfriend were inside talking with Rumpelstiltskin," she continued in frustration. "And the urge I felt when I saw him earlier this morning when he walked past us on the street, came flooding back while we talked after Emma walked back into the back room to talk with Gold's girlfriend, who just returned from some… place. The villain left the room too and once Hook and me were alone, I couldn't help myself. I kissed him, or tried to anyway, but he immediately rejected and humiliated me. I felt so angry and in that moment, I just wanted him dead. I want him to pay for doing that to me, even though I know I'm the one who messed up. Because of Emma, I'm miserable and I hate it. I hate her and I hate Hook and her parents as well. I can't take it anymore! Once again, my best friend is happy and has gotten everything that I deserve. I should just let myself become the dragon you should be teaching me to control, and burn this whole damn town to the ground."

Her mother immediately objected, "No, please don't give into your anger this way. This is my home right now because I have been forced to make it my home thanks to Rumpelstiltskin and the Savior as well. I can never leave here without turning back into the ash that that monster raised me from."

The younger woman glared at her as she responded cruelly, "This town and these people have made you weak, Mother. Show me the villain I know you used to me. I've only ever seen the world's portrayal of you from the movies on in the books I've read about you. Please tell me that woman is still inside of you. Help me to make Emma and her lover pay for once again stealing the peace and happiness that is rightfully mine, or I will do it myself and then leave this hellhole, never to see you again."

"I believe that I might be able to help you with that, dearie," Rumple replied smugly as he suddenly poofed into the room in a cloud of red smoke.

"How dare you blow in here without asking if you would be welcome," Maleficent said angrily as she and Lily both stood upon the unexpected arrival. "We don't need your help to get what we want."

Gold smiled as he answered, "Actually, I think perhaps you just might. But even if you don't, I think you will both like exactly what I have in mind for the Savior and her pirate. Oh, and I brought with me the supplies you were looking for earlier before you were humiliated by Captain Hook, sweetheart. You have poor taste, but I must say I like what is about to come from it."

Lily took the small pouch that contained small vials of potions and powders, then glared at the man as she asked, "Exactly what do you have in mind? I know I can't kill Emma because her power protects her, or destroy this town, but I want her to suffer."

"I have two ideas in mind actually," he stated arrogantly. "The first of which you and your mother can do quite easily. And if that doesn't work, then I have an even better plan in store for her and the pirate. Shall we make ourselves a deal?"

"I want to hear what you have to say first," Maleficent responded skeptically. "I didn't trust you when we worked together before, and I certainly don't trust you now, but if it will help to give my daughter the peace of mind she wants so desperately, then I will become the villain I was once again, for her."


	6. Chapter 6

You Are Loved

Chapter Six

Inside Maleficent's and Lily's apartment…

"The answer is no, Rumple," Maleficent spoke up firmly once Gold explained his first idea on how the powerful sorceresses could have what they wanted, before he could go on with what else he had in mind. "Who do you think Emma and her insufferable parents will come after when two dragons attack the heroes while they're out on the pirate's ship this afternoon? They'll come right for me and my daughter, and though I might have been the most powerful sorceress long ago, they were able to defeat me once. I'm not ready to die again, especially now that I've finally found Lily. I won't let them kill her either. So thanks all the same, but I don't care to know what your other idea is. I have one in mind that will give us exactly what we want without revealing which of us villains within Storybrooke are trying to destroy them this time."

"Very well, when your own plan fails, and believe me it will, then come to me and I will help you in exchange for a drop of your blood and that of your daughter's as well," Gold answered smugly as he looked between the two women glaring at him coldly while they continued standing before him.

Lily looked over at her mother with confusion and then turned back to the Dark One as she asked skeptically, "What could you possibly want with a drop of our blood? Is it because we're part dragon?"

The villain with the power of all Dark Ones to have ever lived inside of him responded coldly, "What I want it for is my own business, dearie. You don't wish to return to your dragon forms just yet, in hope that the Savior won't know of your conversions back into villainesses, I understand. However, you will need my help eventually. Good luck with everything. And don't say that I didn't warn you."

At the sheriff's station…

David walked over to the cell where Milady de Winter was currently being held and unlocked its door to pull her out. When she realized her punishment was about to be carried out upon seeing Henry walk in with a large brown leather-bound storybook in his hands, followed by Snow and Regina, she immediately began to scream at them and struggled against the Prince until Regina used her magic to freeze her long enough for Henry to do what needed to be done.

"Milady is the first villain that I'm not at all sorry to see punished for what she's done to us, to Killian," the Author said callously as he pulled the key from his pocket, while Snow took the book and searched the pages until she came upon the assassin's story, in the moment where it was revealed to the musketeers that she was a traitor. "Her real name is actually Anne de Breuil and she was in love with Athos, but their love wasn't meant to be."

"I can't help, but feel a little bit sorry for her," Snow replied sadly as she looked over at her husband, then turned back to Henry. "But she's made her choice. If we were in the Enchanted Forest and had the space to keep her imprisoned until she chose to be penitent of her crimes, then maybe this wouldn't be necessary, but…"

David finished for her, "But we're not in the Enchanted Forest and I have a feeling that she wouldn't change no matter how many chances we give her."

The former Evil Queen glared at Charming as she answered, "If I recall, you said that about me once or twice. And yet I proved you wrong."

"You're right, you did," he responded apologetically.

"Yet I actually agree with you," Regina immediately replied and then looked over at her son. "Let's get on with this. My spell won't last much longer and I really don't want to listen to her scream anymore. Besides Henry, I believe you have a ship to catch?"

Henry laughed, then gently touched the key to the page as magic suddenly flowed out and pulled the infamous assassin into her story, just as the sixteen year old had done to Hyde days ago. When it was done, Henry took the book again from Snow and closed it, making Milady de Winter a threat to the heroes no longer.

He finally looked between his grandparents as he stated, "It's time for me to get going. I think Mom and Killian should be on the Jolly Roger by now. They'll wonder where I am."

"We'll walk with you to the harbor," Snow answered, then took David's hand as Regina kissed her adopted son's head. "I want to see you guys off."

"And I want to make sure Hook… Killian's doing okay," David added quickly while he turned his head to glare at Brennan, who remained silent since the heroes entered the jail, making it clear that it didn't bother him at all about what just happened to the woman he had become infatuated with while in Hook's body. "He was pretty shaken earlier."

Henry responded, "Don't worry, he wouldn't let anything happen to us while we're out sailing."

The Prince looked back at the Author as he replied, "I didn't mean it like that. I'm worried about him, is all. I trust that Emma will help him and so will you. Come on, let's get out of here."

Meanwhile…

"There you are!" August called out from onboard the Jolly Roger as Emma came walking up to her love's ship from the docks, then looked at her friend with surprise.

"August, what are you doing here?" she asked as Killian stepped out from behind him and walked around their friend to stand on the plank used to enter the ship, then reached his hand out to escort her onboard.

She smiled as she took his hand and then he answered, "I ran into the wooden man child and thought I would invite him and his father to join us. I figured you wouldn't mind."

Emma kissed Hook's cheek, then looked over at her closest friend as she smiled and responded, "Of course I don't. But where's Marco?"

"Sadly he had to decline Killian's invitation," August replied while he pulled her into a hug, then released her. "Ever since his old row boat was capsized by Monstro and then was swallowed by the whale, Papa's never been able to step onto a ship or go out on the ocean again."

"I can certainly understand that," the Savior answered, while Killian simply nodded in agreement.

August then looked over at the pirate captain as he asked questionably, "Did you just call me, wooden man child?"

Killian scratched his head above his ear with the pointed end of his hook nervously as he responded, "Aye. I suppose you can say that I…"

"He had a brief jealous moment back when you became you again," Emma interrupted. "I had to set Killian right by assuring him that you and I have only ever been good friends."

"I've known Emma ever since she was born and well since I was recently brought to life for the first time," Pinocchio replied as he patted Hook's arm and then walked away to finish his earlier task that Killian had him working on before Emma arrived.

Hook leaned in to kiss the woman he loved, then spoke up saying softly, "She's just about ready to set sail. As soon as Henry arrives, we'll be ready. Where shall we go?"

She smiled at him as she answered, "Anywhere. I don't care where we go. I just want to have one day free of magic and of crocodiles in the form the Dark One."

"I want that too," Henry responded as he and Emma's parents stepped onboard.

"Lad, you made it," Killian replied as everyone turned to the newcomers. "It's certainly a beautiful day for an adventure. Your Majesties, will you both be joining us as well? You are more than welcome."

Snow quickly answered, "Oh, no. We have a celebration to plan for tonight. We promised Granny we would help her out in the kitchen and there's a lot more than that to do."

David chortled, then added, "We're going to be pretty busy today. You guys go out and have fun."

"Mom, you do realize that this party doesn't have to be as big as you're making it, don't you?" Emma asked nervously. "You're making it way too big of a deal."

"Actually, I think the celebration might just be right after all," Killian responded as he looked into Emma's eyes, then nodded and the Savior knew exactly what he was giving her consent to do. "I think it best that we tell those closest to us our news before the rest of Storybrooke."

Emma smiled and turned to face her son and parents, as well as her best friend, but before she could say anything more, Snow suddenly blurted out excitedly, "The two of you are getting married!"

Everyone laughed and the Savior nodded while she smiled, then she replied, "Yes, we talked about it last night. We know there's a lot going on right now and after everything we've been through… Killian and I just both felt it was right. The wedding won't actually be for awhile yet, but we wanted to show everyone here that we share the same kind of love, true love, that you and Dad have."

"I think after all Killian's done for you over the years, done for all of us really, and after all you've done for him including going into the Underworld to save him, that you've shown us all," Charming answered sincerely, then pulled his daughter and wife into a hug, while Henry did the same with Killian. "We think it's wonderful. Congratulations!"

"It's is just so wonderful," Snow exclaimed happily as tears came to her eyes, then finally pulled Killian in for a hug as well, while David patted his back in a congratulatory gesture. "I may not have gotten to hold you for more than a few seconds when you were born, Emma. I may not have gotten to see your first steps, or see you dance at your first ball, but at least I will get to see my beautiful daughter on her wedding day, as she marries the man she's been waiting to find her whole life. Her very own Prince Charming."

Killian laughed and then responded, "I assure you, I am no Prince Charming. Nor am I the man I know you were hoping for her to find one day. However, I do love your daughter with all my heart and she knows it to be true, as I now know she loves me more than I ever believed she would. I haven't made it easy for her. And I doubt our lives will come to be any easier in the future, but I will always be by her side, no matter what."

While Emma wrapped her arms around Killian, David looked between his daughter and his friend as he nodded and replied, "I wasn't always a Prince either, but I was lucky to be able to find the woman I was always looking for. And a small part of that is because of the two of you, Prince Charles and Princes Leia. We couldn't be more thrilled."

"I'm really happy for you, guys," Henry said sincerely, then quickly hugged her too like he had done with Killian. "And you know, I can't wait for another chance for a ball, since the last one was… interrupted."

"That wouldn't happen to be because you can't wait for another opportunity to dance with your fair maiden and to kiss her?" Killian asked smugly, in hope to shift the small sadness that suddenly swept over them as they remembered Robin nearly being killed when he had once again protected Regina.

The sixteen year blushed as he tried to deny it when he answered, "No, of course not. I just…"

David slapped his grandson on his back as he responded, "Don't worry, Henry. It's all right. Come on, it's time you guys get going. Have fun and be safe out there. We'll see you later."

"And Killian," David stated quietly while he pulled him back as they walked off the ship for a minute so that he could talk with Hook in private. "About what happened earlier this morning, I'm really sorry. You are not the same pirate that I swore in Neverland would never stand the chance with my daughter. You've proven yourself a hundred times over, to me and to Snow. And to Emma, which we all know how nearly impossible that is. I couldn't be happier for you both."

"Thank you, Mate," Killian replied upon feeling surprised by the Prince's sincerity and approval. "Truly. Listen, with all that's happened with my father and Liam, with the threats made on my life, and the number of times that I've died…"

Seeing the despondent look in his eyes, it donned on David what his friend was trying to say as he swiftly cut Hook off by saying, "Hey, nothing is going to happen to you again. Maybe an injury or two like the rest of us, but you're too damn stubborn to give up and stay dead, so don't go asking me to make sure that Emma will be alright if anything does happen to you. You know that I will, but you're going to be fine. We're here for you. All of us."

Killian smiled sadly as he nodded and said quietly, "Again, thank you."


	7. Chapter 7

You Are Loved

Chapter Seven

Not long after Gold returned to his pawnshop upon leaving the dragon sorceress and her daughter, Belle walked back in and paused in the doorway when he turned to look at her with sadness in his eyes, then he spoke up first saying, "I was hoping for a chance to talk to you without anyone else around. How are feeling, Belle?"

She lowered his head and responded sadly, "It's like you heard me tell Emma and Killian earlier. I'm fine and so is our child. The sleeping curse didn't hurt him, or her. If there was any chance I thought it might, I never would have done it."

"That's good," Rumple answered sincerely. "That's very good. So, you don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"

"I told Dr. Whale that I didn't want to know until he or she is born," the red headed beauty replied curtly. "Listen, I didn't come here specifically to talk. I left something precious behind that I would like to keep with me, as a reminder of all we once had together. I still love you, Rumple. I always will and I assure you, our child will grow up knowing who you are, who you were… and who I hope you will be again. I still believe that you can be that man again and I hope you can find him, no matter how far you've buried him. However, I can't be with you any longer if you refuse to even try. You had a chance to be a man again and not a man with a beast inside of him. You willingly took the darkness back from Killian when he died to try to destroy it. If it weren't for you, the darkness would have been gone forever."

He tried to object as he responded, "Belle, please. You know that I still love you and that I always will, as I will always love our child. The power I have, I use it for us. We will never want for anything ever again."

She sighed as she walked into the back room and opened up the drawer of her nightstand to pull out her chipped cup Rumple had repaired for her after he got his powers back, then she looked back into his eyes as she answered, "You're wrong. All I want is your love without the fear that the darkness will consume you again as it did Killian and Emma. The difference between them and you, is that they never wanted it when it was forced into them. And they were willing to lose everything, to give up everything they loved and to die in order to rid the world of it. You never once could do that."

"But I did die once, to save you and Bae," Gold retorted sternly. "I sacrificed my life to rid this town of Pan. I did that for you."

"A part of you did," she replied as tears came to her eyes. "I know that you did. But we weren't the only reason why you sacrificed your life. You also needed to prove to your father that you were more powerful than he was. And when we were in the Underworld, I saw that you had given up fighting against your power and that you were reveling in it. I won't subject our child to that. Emma told me about what you did to hurt Killian earlier this morning. A good man doesn't do that. Hook's given up his hate for you, even when the darkness was threatening to consume him. Why can't you do the same for him?"

He chortled and then turned his back to her as he responded, "You can only ask me that because you don't understand what it's like to have a hate for a man for as long as I have."

Belle walked back to the door again and opened it, but before she left, she turned back to him once more as she answered despondently, "You're right and thankfully I don't have it in me to do so. Killian does know though, the same as you. And if he can do it, then you should be able to as well. If you can find yourself again, find a way to destroy the darkness once and for all and bring Rumpelstiltskin back to me, only then will I let you into my life. Only then, there's a chance for us. It's your power, or me. If you really want your happy ending, only I can give it to you."

"Have you forgiven your father for what he's done yet?" the Dark One asked quickly before she could leave. "After I told you when I first woke you why I had to resort to searching for another all-powerful being to wake you, I told you that he refused to kiss you so that you would never again choose to be with me and yet here you are doing exactly as he wants."

"No, I'm doing what I need to do because I need to take care of myself for once, and protect the baby from your evil," she replied in frustration. "As for whether or not I have forgiven my father, the answer is yes. I have because he's my father and I love him. Even though he made a cruel mistake and it hurt me, I know he was only doing so out of love. I have forgiven you too. You just have to show me you're worthy of my love again if you want me to come home to you. If you can't understand that, then I'm sorry. Good bye, Rumple."

With that said, the beauty he loved left his shop as though it was for the last time. Once she was gone, the Dark One turned his head and looked at over at the gramophone at the end of one of the counters, then snapped his fingers as the needle dropped and the song that they had first danced do as husband and wife sounded for nearly a minute while he stared ahead becoming lost in the memory, until all of a sudden, a single stroke of magic blasted the musical antique into oblivion.


	8. Chapter 8

You Are Loved

Chapter Eight

When Gold finally left, Maleficent kept her eyes trained on her daughter while Lily paced back and forth as she struggled with her inner self on whether or not to go forth with their plan to strike back against the Savior and her pirate. On one hand, she was finally, slowly beginning to love Maleficent as a mother rather than a woman she first saw as more of a close friend or even sister possibly and she didn't want to risk losing her again if their plan were to fail and they were to get caught. Yet on the other hand, Lily was still angry and wanted to see Killian pay for humiliating her and Emma for her becoming the Savior because she was born without darkness.

In her mind, she knew none of this was really Emma's fault and Killian was right to reject her. However, her anger was outweighing her rational thought and in the end of the debate within herself, Lily turned to Maleficent and nodded, indicating that she was ready to go ahead with their plan, then heard her mother asking her if she was sure this was what she really wanted.

"I'm sorry," she replied sadly. "I know that I'm overreacting and I know what I'm risking, but the people who did this to me don't deserve to have everything, when I can't have anything. It isn't fair. I love you, Mother. But I can't just let go of my humiliation or my hate. I can't take holding it all in any longer. I want to be free. I want to be like you, like I know you can be."

"Darling, I told you I don't mind a little evil," Maleficent responded sincerely as she pulled her daughter into her arms and held her. "I meant it. I won't lose you either and if becoming my old self and teaching you how to become an all-powerful sorceress as I am will help you get everything you want, then I would give everything, for you."

Lily smiled as the older woman wiped a tear away from her eye before it slipped down her check, then she spoke again saying, "Thank you. So, what do we do? How do we begin?"

Maleficent reached out to pick up her staff she had set down against the couch earlier and held it vertical between them as she stared into the purple crystal affixed between the dragon's head and claw at its end, then she answered darkly, "Place your hands firmly around my staff just above mine and focus your mind on exactly what you want to happen. Think of seeing those you want to pay for hurting you and let it feed the power within you."

"I can feel it," Lily responded nervously after she did so and slowly felt the power rising as the crystal began to glow, revealing an image of the Jolly Roger out upon the ocean, as well as those onboard the pirate's ship. "My God, this is amazing. How did you ever give this up?"

"I knew that if I was ever going to find you, then I had to put aside my own hate and anger toward these heroes," the Sorceress answered as she watched the images swirling within the ball, then looked deep into her daughter's eyes. "I had to turn to those that stole you from me to bring you back to me. Concentrate and let your power flow through you. You are the daughter of the most powerful sorceress to have ever lived and one day, you will become more powerful than I."

All of a sudden, Maleficent's voice began to boom as though it was thunder as she cried out, "Now… Rise up and set your power free! Unleash your wrath!"

Out upon the open ocean…

The weather was perfect as hours passed and Emma, Killian, Henry, and August were all having fun, seeming to have forgotten about their troubles for awhile, exactly as Emma hoped for the man she loved and for herself as well. Killian was finally beginning to act like his old self again once they got underway and it was no wonder why he found such solace onboard the ship that had been his home for centuries. The Jolly Roger had a way of making him feel truly alive in a way that nothing else could. And now Emma could feel it too, so long as she was with him.

While August took up steering the ship for a bit, Killian began a sword fight with Henry after he had given him the sword that he had once given to Emma in Neverland, the same sword that he had given to Neal when he was nearly Henry's age, and the sixteen year old was loving every moment of the battle as their blades clashed.

When Henry was finally defeated as Killian knocked the sword from his hand and thrust his own weapon at his throat after the boy gave it as much effort as he could, the Captain laughed and then said, "You've come a long way, lad. Between mine and your grandfather's lessons in swordplay, you're doing quite well. Perhaps you've even begun to surpass your mother."

"Oh really," Emma replied, surprised by his newfound cheekiness that she hasn't seen from him in a long while, since Gold had returned to Storybrooke with the Queens of Darkness at his side as they threatened to destroy their happiness. "It's like that then, is it? Henry, can I borrow your sword? It looks like I'm going to have to teach the victor here his own lesson in humility."

"Oh Emma, I would be honored," Hook responded smugly as he raised his sword once again and waited for the woman he loved to take the first strike.

However, just as the swords clashed again, thunder boomed and everyone froze when lightning streaked above their heads not far off in the distance and before another minute could pass, the clear sky suddenly became dark. What started out as a beautiful day, quickly turned into terror and Killian immediately rushed back up to the wheel to steer his ship once more.

While everyone gathered around him, he cried out, "This storm isn't natural! Someone has to be causing it!"

When lightning struck again and the thunder clashed louder than before, while the heavy rains began causing the waters surrounding them to become violent as they acted to try to swallow the Jolly Roger like many other ships have been lost to the seas, Emma looked to Killian as she shouted worryingly, "It has to be Gold! He knows we're out here! What do you need us to do?"

"I need you to take down the sails before they tear!" the pirate answered firmly. "Cut through the ropes if you have to, but you need to work fast!"

"We're on it!" August shouted as he and Emma ran down to the lower deck to do as they needed to, while Henry was about to follow after them until Killian quickly pulled him back using his hook to grab onto the boy's jacket.

Henry looked at his friend in confusion as Killian stated with concern, "Not you! Get below deck."

The sixteen year old replied sternly, "I'm not a child any longer. I can help!"

"Please, your mother would never forgive herself if anything happened to you!" Hook responded fearfully. "And neither would I. Go down to my quarters where we know you'll be safe!"

"All right!" he shouted in frustration. "I'm going!"

Henry carefully began to make his way toward the steps leading down to the deck while the storm worsened and the waves became bigger as they threw themselves harder against the ship. All of a sudden, one of the waves' force knocked everyone off of their feet as they collapsed against the floor and caused Hook to briefly lose control of the wheel until Henry was able to grab hold of it for the few moments it took for Killian to rise back up and take over again, simply nodding at the boy in gratitude, then encouraged him to try making his way down below once more.

While Emma and August continued to struggle with freeing the sails after they also rose to their feet again, August called out to her, "This storm isn't going to let up!"

She looked up toward Killian and her son, then watched as Henry worked to make his way down from the upper level when she realized that he had been asked to get below for his safety, and finally answered her friend, "It will! Even the Dark One won't be able to keep up the power he's emitting to create this disaster for much longer. We just have to hold on!"

"Killian!" August shouted when he began to fight against one of the sails that suddenly became caught within the rigging. "I can't break this last sail free! It's caught!"

"I can steer the ship and keep her steady!" Emma replied and she used her magic to take over for him as Hook leapt from behind the wheel and down onto the deck from the balcony above, then ran over try to help him and Emma.

When Killian could see that none of their efforts were going to work from where they were, he reached out to grab a tight hold of one of the ropes with his hand, then kicked at the lever it was tied off to in order to release it as he flew up onto the highest mast and using his cutlass and hook, he quickly worked to cut the ropes the sail was caught in to free it. Emma and August kept their eyes on him, as the Savior felt her fear rise upon seeing the man she loved struggle to keep his balance while he fought against the rigging.

Henry, who had made it down to the deck, but had paused to watch the pirate work in awe, was once again thrown off of his feet when the ship was rocked by the waves that only continued to grow larger as the storm continued raging. And when Hook finally managed to free the last sail, it was in that moment as Henry stood again that a wave higher than the ship's sides rose above the boy's head and swept him overboard.

Emma cried out for him as she ran to the side to look for any sign of her son, as did August, but as she was about to jump into the ocean to save him, her best friend grabbed onto her as he pointed up to the mast, then the two of them watched in fear as Killian grabbed another free rope and dove in without hesitation from the end of the post into the water, disappearing beneath the surface.

As he did so, Emma shouted, "Killian, no!"

August immediately looked around them for anything he could use to help, then noticed a large net lying a few feet away as he raced over to gather it together and called out, "Emma, help me with this!"

"I can't see them!" she cried fearfully as she and August finally managed to get the net up and over the edge of the ship, then tied it off. "Where are they? Henry! Killian!"

"There!" the man who was Pinocchio responded when Killian suddenly surfaced several feet away as he pulled Henry up with him in his arm while he held on tightly to the rope with his only hand. "Grab the rope and pull!"

Unfortunately, just as they were about to reach the Jolly Roger, another wave splashed down on them and forced Killian and Henry back under, causing the man the Savior loved to lose his hold on the rope, but while they struggled against the force of the ocean, Hook pushed the teenager forward as hard as he could, allowing Henry to swim the last few feet until he was able to grip the net hanging down for them. As his grasp became firm, he reached out for Killian as the older man fought to swim to him, then together they rose above the surface once more and weakly began to climb the ragged net while Emma and August struggled to pull it up with as much strength as they could muster.

Killian helped to push Henry above him, allowing the sixteen year old to reach for August's hands while Emma kept her hold on the net and continued to try to pull despite how heavy it was from the weight of two men and the force of the storm fighting against them. Once his hold on Henry was firm, August hauled him up the rest of the way and together they both fell back against the deck as the wind forced the ship to rock backwards, but they immediately got to their feet again to help save Killian as well.

When Hook was about to reach out for the Savior's hand, the net around his leg tightened as he became tangled within the meshed fabric and then struggled to break free for as long as he could, being unable to reach the hands that fought to grab him. And when the waves splashed over him again, causing Killian to lose what little strength he had left within him, and knocked the others back, the net teared as the water dragged him and what remained of the now tattered net back under.

As she made it back over to the edge, Emma screamed Killian's name upon seeing that he was gone, then Henry cried out, "Mom, can't you use your magic?"

She shook her head as she shouted fearfully, "I can't see him! I don't even know where he is! Killian!"

Beneath the surface, Killian sank while he continued to struggle against the net that only became more twisted around him as if it were alive and when he slowly began to lose consciousness, it was then that Emma suddenly appeared in front of him after she jumped in to find him. While she swam over to him and started cutting through what remained of the netting that bound him using his cutlass, he kept his eyes fixed on the woman he loved for as long as he could before they finally closed.

Emma was weakening, but she desperately fought all the more harder to save him as she watched him drift into unconsciousness before her eyes. All of a sudden, Emma felt a shift in the water around her as a hand touched her shoulder, then turned her head when Ariel appeared and together the two women lifted Killian between them while they swam back up to the surface.

Upon breaking through, the Savior immediately used her magic to transport them all back onto the deck of the Jolly Roger, then Emma gasped for air while she struggled weakly to tear away what was left of the net Killian was still caught in once and for all with August's and Henry's help. When he was freed, she fought to wake him by breathing into his mouth as she had done before when he nearly drowned because Gold held him under water within the water trough outside of Zelena's farmhouse when she was still the Wicked Witch of the West.

After the storm suddenly vanished as quickly and mysteriously as it had come, Killian finally began to cough up the water that filled his lungs and Emma pulled him into her arms while he continued to struggle to breathe. August slowly rose to his feet and looked down on them sadly as Henry remained close and placed his hand gently on his mother's shoulder for comfort. And when Ariel quietly put the bracelet that changed her tail into legs, then stood shakily, everyone turned their heads to look at her with surprise.

"How are you here?" Emma asked the mermaid despondently.

"Eric and I came here into your world in hope to see all of you again," she answered sadly as she turned her eyes back down on Hook. "We came in his ship, which is just off in the distance and our journey has been wonderful, until that freak storm came out of nowhere. He's alight and so are the rest of the crew onboard, but we noticed the Jolly Roger from our position and when I saw you guys were in trouble, I…"

Henry finished for her, "You swam all the way out here and helped my mom save Killian."

Ariel nodded and Emma replied, "Thank you. I don't know if… I don't think I would have been able to free him in time."

"I'm alright, love," Killian rasped as he slowly sat up with Emma's help. "I knew you would have found a way."

"If it weren't for Ariel coming when she did, we would have lost you!" Emma responded angrily, though she really wasn't mad at him, only worried. "I'm sorry. You saved Henry, but damn it, Killian. I felt you dying again. Do you understand that? We share a heart now, so I can feel everything you do and when you stopped breathing…"

Hook kissed her to stop her from talking and looked into her eyes as he whispered, "I'm sorry, Emma."

She smiled at him and rested her forehead against his as she answered quietly, "Thank you. For saving Henry."

"That goes for me too," Henry quickly added. "I never should have put you in that position where you had to risk your life for me. I'm sorry for not getting below deck sooner like when you first asked me to."

"None of that matters now," Killian replied miserably, then he stood again with Emma's and Henry's help. "Someone conjured that storm, which means that our next battle is at hand just as I feared."

Emma nodded worryingly as she responded, "You're right. We need to get back home and warn everyone of the danger. I want to say that Gold's the one behind this, but my instinct is telling me that it's someone else. I just don't know who."

August spoke again saying, "It could be any of the villains that came to Storybrooke with Hyde. Someone obviously very powerful if they can control the weather like that."

"I need to get back to Eric," Ariel said as she turned to look out over the now calm waters in the direction of the Prince's ship in the distance. "He'll be worried about me, but we'll be there to do whatever we can to help you."

"You've already done enough," Emma answered when she turned to the mermaid once more. "Thank you for saving us."

She smiled and looked between the Savior and the pirate as she replied, "You both would have done the same for me and Eric. You've helped us on more than one occasion. It's our turn to help you now."

Killian responded sincerely, "Thank you, love."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Emma asked worryingly as she turned to Killian again after Ariel jumped back into the ocean to swim back to her own true love.

"I am," he answered as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Yet I fear what's to come."


	9. Chapter 9

You Are Loved

Chapter Nine

Back in town, Snow and David were inside Granny's with their son as the Princess was busy ordering the dwarfs around while they worked to put up the various decorations and after having to blow up twice as many balloons as they had done for their last celebration, with several more to do, Grumpy stopped what he was doing as he spoke up saying in frustration, "Just exactly what is it we're celebrating again? I thought we were just welcoming Hook home, and the others as well. Isn't all this a bit much?"

David laughed from the booth where he was holding Neal in his arms while Snow looked at him sternly, then turned back to her friend as she answered, "You will understand later tonight exactly why we're going overboard, Leroy. For now, please just keep working."

"And who all is coming to this shindig?" Granny asked in her typical manner as she walked out from the kitchen. "Are we expecting the whole town, including Mr. Gold, or is it just a select few? I only ask because I'm busy trying to cook up all the food you asked for and I'm worried I might not have enough. But I can get more if need be. I've never failed you yet and you know it."

"Of course," Snow replied with sincerity. "You're the best, Granny. Why else do we never go anywhere else for the times that are the most important to us? Don't worry, Gold won't be attending. As for the rest of the guest list, tonight is reserved for our closest of friends."

The old woman nodded and responded, "I understand. Then we should be just fine. One more question. Didn't you want me to bake a cake or something for dessert?"

David looked over at his wife and their friend as he answered, "Actually, Snow's wanting to make the cake for tonight herself. It's something special for Emma and Killian. By the way, I wanted to ask all of you to be cautious tonight. Grumpy, this is especially geared toward you as you tend to be more inclined to do what I'm about to ask you not to do. Killian's been through a lot lately and with everything that his father and brother have put him through… Just try not to make him feel like Captain Hook. We owe him that."

"He knows I don't mean anything by it," Leroy retorted curtly. "I have nothing against him anymore, except the fact that he's cheated me at dice more times than I can count. I've lost a lot of money to him."

"Perhaps if you quit playing with him…" the Prince replied, then laughed until Emma, Killian, Henry, and August, as well as Ariel and Prince Eric came into the diner looking worried.

The Savior's parents looked between them as she said, "Emma, we weren't expecting you all back until later and Ariel? Eric? You're both here. Is everything okay?"

Emma shook her head in frustration as she responded, "Actually, no not really. From the look of things, it's obvious the storm never touched down here in town."

"Everything's fine," Charming said quickly. "What storm are you talking about?"

"A huge thunderstorm suddenly appeared from out of nowhere over the ocean where we were less than an hour ago and tried to capsize Killian's ship," Henry answered as he took a seat in the booth across the table from where David was sitting with Neal, then moved over to make room for Emma and Killian, while Snow sat next to her husband and the newcomers remained standing along with August, Granny, and the dwarfs, all of whom gathered around to listen. "It's like it was alive as it fought against us even harder the more we struggled against it and when it was finished, it vanished just as fast. Ariel and Prince Eric arrived at the tail end and were lucky that no one onboard their own ship were hurt."

Snow saw how tightly her daughter was holding onto her fiancé's hand, as well as the distance in Killian's eyes while he kept them turned downward when Henry began to explain what happened to them, then she asked worryingly, "What do you mean like it was alive? Are all of you alright?"

Only telling the Charmings what they really needed to know at the moment, August replied, "The waves were relentless and one of them swept Henry overboard. Killian saved him by jumping in after him and if it wasn't for Emma's magic keeping the ship and the wheel steady, none of us would have survived. There's more."

"We all protected each other," Emma continued despondently as her grip on Hook's hand tightened, causing him to snap out of his reverie. "The point is, this storm wasn't natural, it was created by magic."

"Gold," Leroy stated coldly.

She shook her head and responded, "That thought crossed our minds too, but it's too convenient. Gold just returned from the other land and though he's already tried to get under our skin once today… He could have a part in this, but I told the others my gut is telling me that someone else is behind this. We're sorry about the celebration tonight, but we need to figure out who and why we're being attacked this time before anyone else gets hurt. There's no time for a party."

The others surrounding the booth backed away as Emma stood up to leave, followed closely by Killian, but before she could go, Snow quickly grabbed her daughter's arm as she called out, "Emma wait! I know you don't think we should spend tonight celebrating, but tonight's important and we shouldn't let the dangers we face get in the way of us trying to enjoy life."

"I think perhaps your mother's right, Swan," Killian answered wearily as they turned their heads to look at one another. "Besides, it appears that they've already worked very hard to bring this place to life."

"I want to have a good time tonight, but you're hurting because of the force of the net and in case something else happens…" she started to reply in frustration until David cut her off.

He looked between them, Henry, and August as he asked, "What else happened out there that you're not telling us?"

The Savior turned back to Killian and whispered, "Please, head back home and try to get some rest before tonight then. We'll take care of everything for right now. I'll be there shortly and then I can take a look at you."

"My God, is he alright?" her mother asked with concern after he simply nodded and then walked away as he held his hand against his chest, making it apparent that he was in a lot of pain even though he was trying to hide it from everyone, including Emma.

"No," the Savior answered angrily, as she watched him until he was longer in sight and then turned back to her parents and the others in the room. "Yes, but not really. I mean… When he jumped into the ocean to save Henry, Killian became caught in the net we put out so that they could climb back up. He made sure that Henry was safe before he tried to climb out himself, but his leg got caught and eventually the net teared as he fell under again and became tangled up in it. Me and Ariel were able to save him, but as we tried to, the net just kept wrapping itself around him. It was either enchanted or it was as though someone was controlling it. Killian almost died out there after he saved us all, again. He won't admit it, but he's shaken and so am I."

Ariel spoke up saying sadly, "I'm just glad I was there when I was. That's the second time I've had to save Hook from drowning. It's like Death itself is trying to chase him down or something."

Emma looked over at the mermaid with concern in her eyes upon hearing what she just said and then replied, "Maybe you're not wrong."

"Killian's cheated death for centuries thanks to Neverland," she continued worryingly as she looked between her parents, son, and friends. "And when he finally did die, not just once, but four times now, we've brought him back every time. What if Death itself is trying to punish him until he won't be able to take it anymore and breaks him so that it can finally claim his soul as Hades tried to? That bastard may be dead, but people still die and he was no more than an overseer anyway. What if it's Killian's fate to die when the time finally comes when I won't be able to save him?"

"Emma, don't torture yourself like this," Snow responded sadly. "Death may exist, but whatever happened out there today, it was just another villain here in our own world trying to hurt all of us for whatever their reasons are."

David quickly added, "Besides, Henry was actually the first one to fall overboard. If it weren't for all of you working together to save him, he would have died instead."

Henry nodded in agreement as he answered, "Grandma and Grandpa are right, Mom. You can't believe that you'll lose him. The two of you will always be together and have the happy ending you both deserve. Even if fate, or Death if he does exist, is trying to tear you apart, you can't give into it. That's what you keep proving to us when you fight to save us every day."

"If it were one of us trying to save someone we loved, you would be telling us the same thing," her mother replied.

"If Hades, fairytales, and wicked witches all exist, who's to say that Death itself doesn't?" the Savior asked in frustration.

Regina and Zelena both walked into the diner toward the end of the conversation, then the former Evil Queen looked at Emma as she said resolutely, "Whether Death is a real being or not, you just have to prove to him, or it, that you won't let it win and that you're the decider of your own fate. Henry's right. It's what you remind us all every day you fight as our Savior."

Zelena responded, "You were a part of mending my relationship with my sister, albeit indirectly and only a little. Had we not all wound up in the Underworld together, I'd still be plotting my revenge and trying to kill her."

"This is kind of you all to say," Emma stated sadly and slowly made her way to the door to leave. "I need to see to Killian. I'm trying to believe you and if we find whoever, or whatever is actually behind this, then maybe I will. I'll see you later tonight. We'll be here, I promise. And Mom and Dad… and Henry, thank you."

Later that afternoon…

"So, you've come to ask me for my help after all because your plan failed, just as I predicted it would," Gold said smugly without having to look up from one of his books, as Maleficent and Lily both walked into his shop. "Fancy that."

Lily looked over at her mother, then she turned back to the villain before them standing behind the counter in the back end of the room and answered coldly, "It should have worked. It almost did. Emma's son fell overboard just as I wanted. The waves I conjured in the storm with my mother's help dragged him under and I was just about to summon the vortex that would have brought him to us, but…"

Rumple interrupted, "Let me guess, either Miss. Swan or the pirate managed to save my grandson. Why would you focus on trying to kidnap Henry, when you wanted revenge against his mother and Captain Hook? Let me tell you this once. Henry is not how you are going to hurt either one of them. Do I make myself clear? He may be a troublesome child, but he is also my son's son and I will not see him harmed. Only I shall decide his fate. The only way to hurt the Savior, is by going after the other three people who mean the most to her, the very three people you want revenge against the most. Start with Hook."

"Hook saved the boy, so I tried to use my power to kill him," the Sorceress' daughter replied angrily. "But Emma and some mermaid saved him too from the net that my power twisted around him. How can I hurt him, or Snow White and Prince Charming without Emma interfering? She's too powerful."

"Like I told you earlier, I have the perfect plan," the Dark One responded as he grinned smugly and summoned a large, black leather bound book, then laid it down flat on the counter to reveal it to them.

Maleficent glared at him as if she could read his thoughts, then she spoke up saying sternly, "Not a chance. You tried this plan once already and it failed miserably. Besides, how can you possibly conjure this kind of power without…"

A wand suddenly appeared in his hand within a puff of red smoke as Gold interrupted again, "When will you ever learn not to question me? You know almost better than anyone what it is I am capable of. I gave this wand once to Miss. Swan so that she could re-open a time portal to return home from the past. And now, I give it to you so that you and your daughter will be able to recreate a little bit of magic that's already been wielded if you wish to succeed in your vengeance. You can torture, maim, or even kill the pirate, and the Savior will be unable to get in your way again."

"Won't we all become affected by your spell?" Lily asked with confusion. "I never want to go through that again!"

"Worry not, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin answered. "All you need to do is make a tiny adjustment and I can help you do that, but you will only get all of this from me, for two drops of blood."

Maleficent glared at him as she raised the palm of her hand and used one of her sharp pointed nails to slice a gash across the middle, then let a drop of her blood drip from off of the nail into a vile Gold held up while she replied, "You want to make a deal with me, then you have it. However, we have one condition."

He looked between the two women as he asked, "And what is that?"

"We want compensation should this plan fail like ours did," the younger woman responded.

"We want you to find or create a spell that will restore my life properly," the Dragon Sorceress continued for her daughter. "Should we fail and the Savior learns that we're the ones who are responsible for what's about to happen, then we will need to leave Storybrooke. But I can't do while a part of me is still dead inside."

Lily looked at her mother and then turned back to the beast as she asked, "Can you help her?"

Mr. Gold smiled and then sneered, "Dearie, I have the power of all the Dark Ones who have ever lived within in me. I might not have been able to do so before, but I most certainly can now. Very well, you have yourselves a deal. Now, if you will be so kind as to follow your mother's example, I can get started on teaching all that you will need to know to enact the spell of which you are about to cast on the very objects of your vengeance."


	10. Chapter 10

You Are Loved

Chapter Ten

Back at Emma's and Killian's home…

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Emma asked with concern as she slowly sat down on the bed where Killian was lying to try to get some rest after yet another near death experience until she walked into the room, then helped him to sit up as she gently began to pull his shirt up over his head to get a look at his chest and stomach. "And don't lie to me."

"I'm sore, but it's nothing I can't handle," he responded wearily and suddenly winced in pain when she accidentally bent his arm the wrong way to pull it free once the t-shirt was off.

She immediately apologized, "I'm sorry. Are you…"

Upon seeing the large, dark bruises that covered most of his chest and stomach caused by the net being twisted around him, then feeling that some of his ribs were clearly broken, Emma gasped as she stated fearfully, "Oh God, Killian! This is hardly alright. And you're not just sore, are you?"

"Maybe not, but I've been in worse conditions without anyone to care for me," Hook replied in frustration. "I'll be fine, once you work your magic. It's okay, love."

"I'm going to find whoever did this," the Savior answered sadly and then she carefully roamed her hands along his upper body while she emitted her power to heal him. "I'm going back to talk to Gold. If he's involved, I'll know it."

Once she was finished and his wounds were gone, Emma started to stand, but before she could walk away from the bed, Killian reached out to pull her back down beside him as he responded, "That's fine. But Swan, don't do anything more about it tonight. Wait until tomorrow to talk with the Crocodile. I'm fine now and tonight we'll be sharing with those we love the news of our nuptials. We deserve to have a night free from that monster's cruelty and any more trouble."

She looked at the man she loved worryingly as she replied, "That's exactly what we thought we could have today, but it didn't happen. And whoever is behind this will most likely try again."

"I don't doubt it, but if Gold isn't to blame, then talking to him will only be a waste of time and you'll be too angry to enjoy yourself at the celebration," the pirate answered calmly while he wiped away a strand of her hair that had fallen over her face.

"Yeah, instead I get to go worried about what's coming next," Emma said sternly. "That hardly makes me feel better."

Hook smiled and then responded, "Nor I, but try not to think about it. I'm safe and so are Henry, August… and you. Whatever the villain who did this wanted, they failed to get it. Now, I'm going to get dressed. I suggest you do the same, love. Perhaps in something other than that red leather jacket of yours. Personally, I like that pink gown you wore for our first date."

The Savior leaned in to kiss him, then smiled as she sat back in order to look into his eyes and replied, "All right. And Killian, thank you again for saving Henry today. I know I already said so, but…"

"You said it yourself, Swan," he answered sincerely. "He's no longer just a son to you, but to me as well. I won't ever let anything harm him so long as I am able, just as I would protect you, your parents, and everyone else here. I love you."

"I love you too," Emma whispered and wrapped her arms around him as he did her, letting him hold her against him for comfort.

Inside Granny's Diner…

Less than an hour later, the heroes and their closest of friends were gathered together enjoying one another's company with food, drinks, and music while they celebrated Emma's, Hook's, Regina's, and August's safe return from the Enchanted Forest. Emma and Killian had yet to make their announcement and for now were just focused on trying to let go of the latest attack on their lives. Every once and awhile, Emma would glance over at her mom and noticed that she kept on smiling at her and nodding her head, as if to encourage her to share their good news. Killian noticed this too and once everyone appeared to have arrived, he looked at the woman on his arm and nodded to tell her it was time. The Savior sighed and picked up two glasses of champagne, handed one to Killian, then cleared her throat nervously before calling out to gain everyone's attentions.

When all eyes were on her, Emma turned to look between Henry and her parents, then stopped her eyes on Killian again as she spoke up saying, "Wow, this is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. Although, it really should be the easiest thing in the world because I love you."

Hook laughed and then turned back to everyone as he continued for her, "What the Savior here is trying to tell you all, is that the two of us will be getting married, at some point in the near future."

"Congratulations!" Snow immediately cried out happily, being unable to contain her excitement any longer as she rushed over to pull her daughter into a hug. "This is going to be the biggest and most beautiful wedding since…"

"Like my wife's trying to say, is that we couldn't be more happy for both of you," Charming interrupted and then raised his own glass, as did everyone else in the room, including Regina, though she didn't appear to be as happy about the announcement as the rest of the town. "A toast! To our daughter, Emma and her husband to be, Killian Jones. Three cheers to you both. Hip, hip, hooray!"

Everyone joined in the congratulatory cheers as they cried out in unison, "Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!"

The cheers and praises continued and the hugs and handshakes began while everyone gathered around the newly engaged couple to give their own congratulations. However, while they did so it was then that Killian turned his head to look behind him upon hearing the faint sound of whispers throughout the room. Emma heard it too, though the words spoken were inaudible for as long as it continued and neither of them could pinpoint the source of the sound. When the whispering ended, both the Savior and the Pirate Captain suddenly felt dizzy for only a few seconds before the feeling passed nearly as quickly as it came, as if nothing at all had happened. Emma looked over at Hook worryingly as he did her, then looked out among their family and friends and saw that no one else appeared to have heard or feel the same way.

For now, both of them shrugged it off as they continued to talk among everyone, then Emma finally made her way over to the small table where Regina and Zelena were sitting as the former Wicked Witch held her daughter in her hands and started to ask her friend if she was doing all right. However, before she could barely say a few words, the main door to the diner opened and both Brennan Jones and his youngest son, Liam walked in. Killian froze as Emma immediately rushed to his side and everyone else quieted down while they looked between their friend and the two men who were responsible for so much pain in Hook's life as of late.

Brennan chortled as everyone turned to stare at him, then he looked at his middle son and stated coldly, "Word has already spread that congratulations are in order. So... congratulations, Killian. It appears that you really have gotten everything you ever wanted even though you've never earned it."

"How did you break out of your jail cell?" David asked nervously while he, Emma, and Snow took a few steps forward, followed by Regina who stood from her table, and August who moved in front of his father, all in attempt to apprehend the man and Liam until he suddenly pulled out a gun as he pointed toward them all to keep them back. "What are you going to do, shoot us? The second your hand touches that trigger…"

"Father please," Killian swiftly pleaded as he moved to stand in front of everyone as he kept his eyes on the man now threatening all those he cared about. Please, let's just talk outside. I won't even try to send you back to…"

Brennan interrupted, "What, you mean back to that prison your new family had me locked up in over the last week? I have no intention of going back. But I needed to say a few things to you. You know that I cannot stand by and let you have peace when you forced nothing, but pain and misery upon me and my other sons. I've had time to think about the way things have turned out."

Emma stepped forward to stand beside Killian as she said angrily, "If you try to hurt him, I swear I'll do more than throw you in prison. I'll send you back to Hell, despite my promise to your son that I wouldn't."

"That bastard standing there beside you is not my son and hasn't been since I sold him to those pirates centuries ago," the oldest Jones responded cruelly, glaring at her until he turned back to Killian. "I realize that if this is to be my life, trapped within the body of another dead man and foul villain as I had done to you, then perhaps life just isn't worth living after all. I think I will take the consequences of eternal damnation so long as I know that you will suffer the guilt a hundred times more than when you killed me the first time. And I've been inside your mind, so I know that you will. Here's to you, Killian. In honor of your engagement."

"No!" Liam screamed angrily when Brennan suddenly turned his gun on David who took two more steps forward, and was about to shoot Emma's father until Killian immediately ran at him while he grabbed the older Jones' hand holding the weapon, then pushed it upward so that the shot fired into the ceiling, just as the pirate thrust his hook into his father's chest to stop him once and for all before he could try to hurt anyone else whom Killian cared about. "Father! You killed him again! Murderer!"

Snow gasped in shock upon seeing all that just happened as her hands flew up to her face to cover her mouth, while Killian struggled to hold the body his father's soul had taken over as he collapsed against him when Brennan died in his arms and then both fell to the floor. Emma and David rushed to Hook's side, while Leroy and August quickly grabbed hold of Liam to hold him back when he pulled out his own weapon and attempted to stab his half-brother in his back, as August knocked the blade from the sixteen year old's hand.

Emma wrapped her arms around Killian to try to comfort him as he let out a heavy sob over having to kill his father a second time, tears forming in his eyes while he stared devastatingly at the dead body until his head collapsed against his chest and struggled to keep his anger and despondency under control. David quickly looked up toward Regina and without a word, as if she read his thoughts, she swiftly used her magic to make Jafar's body vanish in a cloud of smoke. Snow then bent down and gently placed her hand on Killian's back until Killian could no longer handle being around anyone as he swiftly got back to his feet and ran out of the diner, leaving Emma and everyone else behind, shocked and unsure of what to say or do next.

Finally, Snow was the first to break the silence that had fallen over everyone as she spoke up saying worryingly, "Oh my God. I can't believe what just… Poor Killian. What are we going to do?"

Her daughter also moved to stand back on her feet as she clutched at her chest in pain and then replied, "Killian just saved Dad's life. He killed Brennan because the son of a bitch gave him no choice. You can't think about…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Emma of course we're not going to arrest him or anything else of the kind," David answered quickly before she could finish. "You're right, he saved my life."

"How can you protect that murderer?" Liam asked angrily as he glared at the heroes who cared for the pirate. "How can you love him? After everything he's done, all the suffering he's caused, you're just going to let him continue roaming around free so he can continue pretending he's a hero?"

Emma turned back to the younger Liam as she answered coldly, "Killian's paid for his sins. And now you get to pay for your own. You walked into the station tonight to break your father out while we were all here, didn't you."

Liam stared at her as he responded, "I knew you were all here celebrating and would be too distracted to care about us for one night, so yeah I broke in to break my father out. I knocked the dwarf on guard duty out and then my father pulled open one of the sheriff's desk drawers to take the gun he had seen him stash inside days ago. I tried to encourage him to leave with me, but he couldn't just let things go. He needed to make Hook suffer. At least he got what he wanted."

"Yeah, he got what he wanted all right," David replied before Emma could, then her mother pulled her daughter into her arms when she suddenly doubled over in pain that wasn't her own as she could feel the guilt that plagued Killian within her own heart. "Your father forced our friend to kill him when he attempted to kill me. And that was his plan all along. He knew that it would kill his son to have to make the choice between saving the father he had chosen to kill once before and protecting the father of the woman he loves. However, your father's soul is once again in the Underworld. He's going to suffer now just as he deserves to."

"And what about me?" Liam asked. "Are you going to kill me too, or keep me in that prison of yours for however long you see fit?"

Regina stated curtly, "Personally, I think death is the better choice. But then again he is only Henry's age."

David looked over at his wife and daughter, then turned back to Liam as he answered, "For now you'll take your father's place in our jail and remain there until we figure out what to with you do next."

"I have to find Killian," Emma said sadly as she turned away from her parents and walked toward the door to leave. "I need to be with him."

After she left Granny's, Emma ran down to the harbor as fast as she could and when she found Killian, he was sitting on the block where they once sat when he had first shown her the horizon overlooking the ocean in hope that it would calm her and help her find peace as it usually could do for him. His body was hunched over and his head hung low with his chin resting against his chest. She paused for only a moment, then slowly sat down beside him as he made no effort to move or look over at her while he kept silent. However, when Emma gently pulled him into her arms once again as she placed one of her hands on the back of his head, he suddenly began to cry openly and she continued to hold him tightly without so much as a word.


	11. Chapter 11

You Are Loved

Chapter Eleven

Later that night, David, Snow, Regina, Zelena, August, Ariel, Eric, and Leroy were all gathered inside the morgue beneath Whale's clinic as they stood around the metal table where Jafar's body, that had briefly become the vessel for Brennan Jones' soul, now lay. David's wife clung to him sadly, as Ariel was staying close to her own husband. Everyone remained quiet as they all struggled with trying to comprehend how a celebration in honor of the Savior's engagement to their close friend had turned to tragedy so quickly.

Finally Regina spoke up saying coldly, "I say we just disintegrate it until its nothing, but ash. It's not like Jafar deserved to have a proper funeral and Brennan Jones certainly doesn't. Say the word and I'll take care of it."

Snow shook her head as she looked at her friend and replied, "No. They were both villains and what Brennan did was reprehensible, but… He was Killian's father. When Killian is up to talking, he's the one who should decide what we do with the body."

"I doubt he's going to be up to that any time soon," David answered sadly as he ran his hand through his hair. "But Snow's right. It should be Killian's decision. If he chooses to tell us to do whatever we see fit, then we'll talk to Liam."

"Speaking of Liam, what exactly is going to be done with him?" August asked in frustration. "I understand how angry he is, seeing the same man who killed his father the first time around kill him again right in front of him, but the kid then tried to kill our friend. And he broke his father out of jail in the first place."

Leroy quickly added, "Not to mention the fact that he assaulted Sneezy in order to break Jones out. Sneezy's fine, but that's not the point."

August nodded and then David responded, "Liam deserves to be punished lawfully, but we can't keep him in the jail for however long we decide his punishment should be. On the other hand, and I think Hook would agree with me, a part of me feels that he might have already been punished enough. August is right. Watching his father die again, even if the killing was justified is tragic. I say we send Liam and his grandmother back home to the Enchanted Forest using the Apprentice's wand to open the portal again. And we can send the body with them. Let them see to him however they see fit."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Regina replied, seeming to be impressed by the Prince's suggestion.

"And should the child devote his life to making his way back here to try to kill the pirate again?" Zelena asked callously, though the others knew she was slowly beginning to care for the rest of them more than she ever let on as her sister did. "The Jones family all have an unhealthy lust for vengeance. I wouldn't put it past him, nor give him a chance."

Ariel suddenly spoke as she answered, "I may not understand everything that's happened since me and Eric haven't been here since… well I haven't been here, since Hook released me from the bottle I was trapped in along with his ship. What I mean to say, is that if Hook was able to give up on his cruelty and need for revenge after three hundred years of being a villain and become the man he is now, then I think the boy has a very good chance of doing the same if you all show him mercy like David suggested. Although, I'm not from here and I have no right to give my opinion about what you should do."

Snow smiled at her dear friend as she responded, "No, you're right and so is David. I say we send Liam home, with his grandmother and the body. I'll go over to talk with Emma about it once we leave here just to make sure that's what Killian would want, and what she would want too."

"Then, that's it then," Regina replied and turned to look over at her sister. "I'm tired. I think I'm going to head home and try to get to bed early tonight for once. Care to walk back with me?"

"I doubt I'll get any sleep at all, since Robin's been keeping me awake at all hours of the night for weeks now, but it won't hurt to try," Zelena answered and then followed Regina out of the room.

Leroy left after the former Queen and former witch while August turned to his closest friend's parents as he said, "I should get back to Papa to check in on him and make sure he's alright too. Although, I was hoping to see Emma and Killian first, if he's up to having company of course, but… You know what, never mind. Tonight she and Killian just needs family. I'll be by some time tomorrow. Please, let me know if there's anything you need."

Eric looked at his wife as he added, "We should go find us a room to stay for a long as we're here."

"Go on back to the diner and talk with Granny," Snow responded when she and David walked behind them as they all left the morgue. "She rents out the rooms above her place and she'll be more than happy to help you."

"Thank you," Ariel replied sincerely and then looked nervous as if she debated on whether or not to ask what she wanted to ask the Princess.

Snow noticed this as she asked, "What is it, Ariel?"

The mermaid looked over at Eric and then turned back to Snow and David as she answered, "It's just… It's obvious that a lot's happened since I was here last, not counting the few minutes I was here before I returned to the Enchanted Forest to help Killian find Ursula's father to help all of you. I mean, the last time was while you all were still in Neverland trying to save Henry and…"

"Wait a minute, the last time you came here was when you asked us for help in finding Eric," David interrupted.

"Finding Eric?" Ariel stated, as she looked between the man she loved and their friends in confusion. "I never came here to ask for help in finding him? The only time I've needed help with that was when I spoke to Hook during the year we all forgot, when all of you were back in the Enchanted Forest. It didn't exactly go as planned, but I like to think he helped me in his own way, even if I had to do most of the work."

Snow shook her head and responded, "But that doesn't make any sense. You came here after we returned to Storybrooke, after our own curse brought us home and you said that Eric was missing. We had Killian help you because he wasn't affected by the memory loss like we were."

The mermaid retorted, "I'm afraid you're wrong. If that happened, it wasn't me."

"It was Zelena," David suddenly replied upon remembering that Killian had been cursed by the Wicked Witch when she went after him to gain Emma's magic. "I realize he never actually told us how Zelena got the drop on him, but you were here around the same time it happened, or at least we thought you were. That has to be it. I can't believe he never told us that he had come across you during that year. In fact, he told us that he never heard of Eric or even met you."

"Look, it might have been because he was ashamed with the way things ended up between us during our encounter," she answered sadly. "Because it ended up with me slapping him in the face as I told him that he was heartless and that he would never be happy. But the truth is, I was wrong. He may not have helped me because he tried to be that selfish pirate he was before he met all of you and Emma again, but I saw it in his eyes when we started out and I saw it again after I hit him. He was heartbroken because he lost her. That's why I immediately agreed to help him find Poseidon. That, and because I saw he was ashamed of his actions. I know he's a good man, so please don't mention any of this to him. He's already suffering terribly after what he just had to do. And something tells me there's a lot more to the story."

Snow nodded as they continued walking down the street toward Granny's, then she responded, "I'll explain the rest to you tomorrow. And Ariel, Eric… thank you both for coming here, especially when you did. Your timing may not be great to catch up on old times, but it's really good to see you both again."

Ariel smiled and hugged her friend, then as she and Eric started to head into the diner while Snow and David kept straight, she replied, "It's good to see you too. See you in the morning and please tell Emma and Killian we're here for them if they need anything."

"We will," Charming answered. "Goodnight."

Meanwhile…

Emma sat quietly on the edge of her bed again as she gently rubbed her hand along Killian's back while he laid down to rest with his face and body turned away from her, though she knew he wasn't actually asleep, nor was he able to talk about what he had just done even to her. She kept her eyes on his prone form, tears falling down her own face while she stayed by his side to care for him once she convinced him to finally allow her to transport them both home from the harbor.

She slowly stood up and was about to get undressed so that she could lie down beside him, but it was then that a knock sounded at the door and she quickly left the room to answer it before whoever was there persisted with another knock. When she got downstairs and opened the door, she wasn't surprised to see her son standing there.

"Henry, I'm glad it's just you," Emma spoke quietly as she pulled him into a hug. "Is everyone in town alright?"

"Yeah, we're all fine," the fifteen year old responded worryingly. "What about you, and Killian? Is he okay?"

She shook her head as she released him, then raised her head to look up at the top of the stairs that led to their bedroom and replied, "No, he's not. He hasn't said a word since I found him. I've never seen him like this. I know how worried he was for me after I became the Dark One. And when I finally found him in the underworld, he was broken and he hated himself for allowing the darkness to corrupt him, but… At least he talked to me then and I was able to assure him that I still loved him, but now he won't even look at me. I know why too because I can feel it, and we spoke about it earlier. Because of what his father, Liam, and Milady did to him while Brennan took over his body, Killian's really been struggling with believing that he's no longer Captain Hook the villain and that he's undeserving of his happy ending. No doubt he believes it even more so now."

Henry objected, "That's crazy. He's proven to all of us that he's a good man. And he killed his father because he was protecting Grandpa and the rest of us. He left Killian no choice and we all know it."

"I know, but I don't know how I'm going to be able to prove that to him this time," the Savior answered fearfully.

"Earlier before the storm hit, during our sword fight, it was the first time I've seen him more like his old self in a long time," the teenager responded. "It was obvious he was still hurting, but we gave him a reason to enjoy being who he really is again; a pirate and a man who has the ability to love and care about others more than himself. We just have to somehow find a way to do that for him again."

Suddenly both Snow and David walked into the living room where their daughter and grandson were now sitting and upon hearing the last part of the conversation, David said with reassurance, "That's a great idea, Henry."

Emma smiled as she stated with a little more hope in her voice, "Yeah, kid. It's a good idea."


	12. Chapter 12

You Are Loved

Chapter Twelve

Emma, Henry, and her parents spoke for awhile longer into the night as Emma reiterated her concerns for Killian that she had shared with Henry, then Snow and David told her about their decision in regards to Liam and the body of Brennan and the former genie to which Emma agreed with, as well as their conversation with Ariel and Prince Eric. When they mentioned their surprise about how Killian never explained the truth to them after his secret about Zelena cursing his lips had been revealed, Emma quickly assured them that he had told her the truth about everything on the night they shared their real first kiss upon her realizing she wanted to be in a relationship with him.

After her family left, the Savior walked back upstairs and entered the room and found that Killian was actually asleep finally, though she knew that his rest wouldn't last very long before his tormented mind would again begin to conjure up the nightmares and fears that continued to plague him.

Emma undressed and got herself ready for bed, then slowly and quietly laid down beside the man she loved so much and took his hand in her own before she allowed herself to drift off to sleep after she stared at his troubled face for as long as she could. It didn't take very long, as she was as exhausted as he was and neither of them felt a shift in the room as a wave of magic suddenly passed over them, then vanished as though everything remained as it was. It wouldn't be until morning that the Savior and the Captain would learn it wasn't so.

Meanwhile…

By the time Henry, David, and Snow left Emma's and Killian's home, it had grown pretty late. They were all worried, but as there was nothing more they could do that night, the Charmings both made their way home to their own loft, while Henry said goodnight to them and walked to his second home with his adopted mother.

"Henry!" Violet all of a sudden called out as she ran up behind him when he was nearly there, then he turned around quickly and smiled upon seeing the girl he was really starting to care for a lot. "I'm so glad that I caught you. After what happened tonight and all the chaos, I didn't get the chance to ask you if you were doing okay. I mean, I'm sure you're worried and upset, but I wanted to see you."

"I'm glad," he answered sincerely. "I wanted to see you too, to make sure that you were alright. It's just… things became pretty crazy for awhile there with everything that's going on with Killian and my mom, and all the trouble that's gone on here in town over the last several weeks. It's been hard trying to find time for our next date. I hope you understand."

The fourteen year old girl from Camelot nodded as she responded, "Of course I do. I'm afraid that I have to get home right away because my father was pretty worried about me after tonight, so I'm going to go."

Henry quickly replied, "Listen, I need you to know that what you saw tonight, when Killian killed that man in front of everyone…"

"He did it to save your grandfather," she finished for him. "You don't have to worry about me thinking any less, or being afraid of your friend and your mom's fiancé. I know he's a good man. Before I go, can you kiss me?"

"Yeah, I think I can do that," the young man answered as he leaned forward and kissed her like she asked him to, while Violet kissed him back as she gently reached her hand into his jacket pocket and pulled something out without his knowledge, then immediately concealed it in her sleeve before she finally pulled back.

She smiled at him as she stated, "That was nice. I really need to get going. But I'll see you tomorrow?"

He nodded and then replied, "I'd like that. Goodnight, Violet."

"That was very good," a woman spoke quietly from behind her as Lily walked up to the younger girl once Henry disappeared inside his house, then gently turned Violet around to face her. "Did you get it?"

"I don't understand why I did it," the teenager answered in confusion as she reached into her sleeve and pulled out the Author's quill, then handed it over to the anti-Savior as if she had no control over her actions. "I like Henry a lot and I would never do anything to hurt him."

Lily smiled as she took the quill in her hand and looked at it closely while she responded callously, "No, I'm sure you wouldn't, but tonight I didn't give you a choice. I put you under a trance of sorts, then asked you to take this for me because I couldn't have done it myself. My mother and I need to make sure that the boy can't reverse the curse we've begun to cast using his Author powers. Don't worry, you won't remember any of this ever happened once you go to bed tonight. You'll be just fine. Now, go on home before your father worries about you. And thank you."

The Dragon Sorceress' daughter watched Violet leave until the girl disappeared from view and then she held the quill up again and chortled. Finally, she put the precious object in her own coat pocket and walked away, proud that she was able to work this spell so easily without any help from Maleficent.

As the sun rose…

Emma awoke hours after she realized she had fallen asleep and gently turned her body enough to see that Killian was still lying beside her and was surprisingly still asleep, the first time he had slept past her since they moved in together. A worrying feeling swiftly entered her thoughts, but she shrugged it off as she stood up quietly and walked into the bathroom to get herself ready for the day.

It wasn't long after Emma got into the shower that Killian began to wake as well and when he slowly sat up, he placed his fingers over the bridge of his nose while he kept his eyes closed tightly upon feeling dizzy and a strong headache as if he had had too much to drink the night before.

Without opening his eyes, he groaned and then spoke out loud to himself as he asked wearily, "Exactly how much did I have to drink last night? Aah! Why did I drink?"

"As far as I know, you didn't have anything to drink," Emma replied when she heard and saw that he was awake.

She walked out of the bathroom again wearing jeans and a white blouse, while she soaked up the excess water out of her long blonde hair with a towel until she swiftly dropped it on the end of the bed, then gently sat down beside him. However as she did so, he stared at her strangely and suddenly trembled when she reached out to touch his cheek until he quickly pulled his head away and stood.

"Killian, are you alright?" she asked worryingly. "You didn't have any rum and believe me, I was with you all night. Don't you remember?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head as he said, "I don't… I never touch the stuff. I'm allergic to rum."

Killian turned to her again as he backed away from her while he asked nervously, "Who the bloody hell are you and where am I?"

"What do you mean, who am I?" Emma asked in concern as she immediately moved to stand in front of him again and gently laid her hand on the side of his face like before, though this time he didn't back off, only looked away from her out of fear. "What's wrong, Killian?"

"No one has called me… Killian… in a long time," he whispered sadly. "Not since I was a boy. How do you know who I am, when I haven't a clue as to who you are?"

Emma looked into his eyes in hope of seeing some sort of recognition in them as she asked worryingly, "Killian, who do you think you are? Do you have any idea where you are right now?"

He fearfully looked around him, then shook his head as he scrunched his nose and closed his eyes once again in pain and answered, "I don… don't know. I'm called Hook. Deckhand Hook by the man who… owns me. His name is Blackbeard, Captain Blackbeard."

"No," the Savior gasped and raised her hands up over her nose and mouth as she continued to stare at him while tears began to spill down her cheeks.

"No, this can't be happening," she stated again quickly as she suddenly held out her hand before her and struggled to create a burst of light to test her magic, but nothing happened. "My powers, they're gone. Gold is the one behind this. He's recreated the alternate reality we were all pulled into, except… from right here in Storybrooke and not the Enchanted Forest, or the Author's book."

Emma immediately pulled out her cell phone and called Henry while Killian collapsed down on the bed again and simply stared ahead of him until he closed his eyes, then when Henry picked up, she spoke up saying, "Henry! Oh thank God you're alright. Are you? Are you really okay, I mean? Both you and Regina?"

Her son responded with confusion, " _Yeah, I'm fine. And so is Mom, my other mom. Are you okay?_ "

"Good," the Savior replied with relief and then continued. "Listen, I need you and Regina to get to Granny's right away. I'm going to call Mom and Dad."

" _There's no need,_ " he answered quickly. " _We're all already here eating breakfast along with Violet, Ariel, and Eric. What's going on, Mom?_ "

She kept her eyes trained on Killian as she responded, "Something very bad. I'll explain when I get there. Wait for me."

Henry replied firmly, " _Don't worry,_ we _will._ "

Inside Granny's Diner…

"What was that all about?" Snow asked after Henry hung up the phone as she and David both looked at the grandson in confusion. "Did she say what was wrong?"

"No, she wouldn't say, but she sounded really scared," the fifteen year old answered worryingly. "She just keep asking if me and Mom were okay, then told us to wait here for her."

Regina responded, "Something must have happened to Hook, although I certainly hope not."

Snow immediately stood from the booth as she handed Neal down to her husband and replied, "We should get over there."

"No," the young man stated again quickly. "I told her you were both here and she meant for all of us to wait for her. She'll be here any minute."

"He's right, Snow," David answered and pulled her back down beside him. "Try not to worry. I'm sure she would have told us over the phone if something was really wrong."

Henry spoke up again nervously saying, "Actually, she did say that it was something pretty bad. Maybe you were right, Ariel."

The mermaid seemed confused for a moment as she tried to understand what the young man meant, then retorted, "Oh, no Henry. When I said that about Death coming after Hook, I didn't mean it literally."

"Maybe not, but it's not normal for anyone to die four times even for us," Regina responded as she understood where he son was coming from. "Dying that much and being pulled back every time would put a toll on anyone."

"We're going to help him," Snow replied. "It's what we do."


	13. Chapter 13

You Are Loved

Chapter Thirteen

Four years ago in Killian's only known reality…

Early one morning, Killian was awoken suddenly by the first mate of the Jolly Roger as the large man stormed into the ship's galley where the deckhand was forced to sleep upon the filthy floor like a dog and kicked him in the stomach, roughly pulled him up by his neck and the back of his black tattered shirt, dragged him up the stairs to the deck of the ship, then finally shoved him to his knees at the Captain's feet. Hook kept his head down as he cowered before the man who owned him, trembling while he waited for the pain he had coming to him.

The first mate looked at his longtime friend and Captain as he asked smugly, "What is it that you plan to do with him, Captain Blackbeard? Another flogging perhaps? Or maybe something…"

Another of the men called out, "Drown him!"

"Drown him!" more of the pirates chanted excitedly. "Drown him! Drown him!"

"And what do you think I should do with you, Deckhand Hook?" Blackbeard inquired cruelly. "Do you even know why it is I'm cross with you today?"

Killian was afraid to look at the vile man or say anything that might cross him, so he simply shook his head while he responded nervously, "Forgive… forgive me, Captain Blackbeard, Sir. I'll fix… whatever you need. I'll go without food for as long as you see fit, but please don't…"

The Captain laughed, as did his men and then he answered, "Please don't what? Flog or drown you like I've punished you before? Perhaps you would prefer that I cut off your other hand?"

"No please," the slave onboard the ship pleaded, pulling his right arm tight to his chest as if to protect his precious limb. "Anything, but my hand."

"Perhaps you're right," the leader of the pirates replied, then grabbed Killian roughly by his chin to force his deckhand to look at him. "You would be no good to me if I took away both of them. You wouldn't be able to work for me any longer and I would lose the best slave I've ever had. Last night, I ordered you to clean up all the mess that the men made after our visit with my close friend, Captain Black Bart. Yet when I awoke this morning, I discovered that you had gone to bed without finishing swabbing the decks."

Hook looked at him with confusion, then tried to look at the other men that surrounded him as they snickered and chortled while he responded fearfully, "But I… I did, Captain. I stayed up… up until two hours ago to…"

All of a sudden, Blackbeard backhanded his slave with a force powerful enough to knock him all the way against the deck and stomped down heavily against his back forcing Killian to cry out, then the Captain sneered, "If that were true, the decks would be clean. But they're not. I don't care if you feel you've scrubbed and cleaned them until every last one of your five fingers were bleeding and broken. You will do them again and then you will spend the next three days in the brig without food and water as punishment for either doing a sloppy job, or for lying about doing it at all. Now, get up and get to work!"

All of the pirates surrounding him laughed again as they finally dispersed except for one man, who knelt down before Killian and snickered at the deckhand while he struggled to get back up, then the man spoke up saying cruelly, "I'm sorry that you had to endure that humiliation just now, brother. But I did warn you not to underestimate me."

"You dirtied the decks again and told the Captain I failed to do my work," Hook stated quietly, without looking at the man continuing to torment him.

"Yes I did," the man answered, reaching out a hand to help the younger man up, knowing full well that Hook would refuse to take it. "Don't need my help?"

"Don't mock me," Killian replied sadly, glaring at him as he got back onto his feet, then readjusted the brace that held his hook in place of his missing hand. "Keep trying to make yourself look good in front of Blackbeard and laugh at my humiliation all you want to, but do not mock me on top of all that. You got what you wanted, Liam. Blackbeard's finally made you a free man and enlisted you into his crew. Congratulations."

When Hook started to walk away to get to work as the ship Captain ordered him to, Liam suddenly grabbed him tightly by his shoulder that was still sore from it being dislocated days ago when a group of men assaulted him on his way back to the ship from town with supplies and had it reset by the crew's first mate, who didn't make an effort to be gentle when he did so, then the older brother shoved him roughly against the mast behind him as he said angrily, "I told you that I wouldn't be a slave forever like you. It's because of you that our father sold us into servitude. If you weren't such a bitter disappointment and a coward, we would both be better off. If you don't want me to mock you, or make you appear to be even more of a bastard in front of Captain Blackbeard than you already make yourself, then toughen up. I keep him and the other pirates from killing you, but if you get in my way and try to prove to them that you did in fact clean the decks as you did, or that I am responsible for the other times I've made you look bad, then I will not protect you from his wrath again. You're lucky that all you lost was your hand on that night."

Killian nodded as he responded, "Of course. Because you are right about me. I may not approve of how you've gotten what you wanted, but I'm glad you're no longer a slave as I will always be."

"That's right," Liam answered coldly as he looked into his brother's eyes. "You always will be because you're worthless. Have fun swabbing the decks. And try not to miss anything this time."

"I won't," Hook replied sadly as he watched Liam finally walk away, leaving him alone to do his work before Blackbeard or the rest of the pirates noticed him slacking. "Please… be safe, brother."

In Storybrooke…

Lily sat on the couch as she stared at the Author's quill lying on the coffee table inside her mother's apartment until Maleficent walked over, handed the younger woman a plate containing a homemade waffle she made from scratch, then sat down again beside her as she began to eat her own breakfast.

Her daughter saw the worried look on the Sorceress' face and finally spoke up saying, "I am sorry about all this, Mother. I know you didn't want to be the badass villain you once were because you're afraid to die again. It's just that…"

"No," Maleficent quickly interrupted. "No darling. I'm afraid of losing you to them again. I'm afraid you'll die as I once did or will be imprisoned and I cannot bear the thought of that happening."

"We have the Author's pen," Lily stated as she held it up in front of her. "They can't reverse what's been done. I can't wait to see the look on Emma's face, now that she knows her pirate has no clue as to who she is any longer."


	14. Chapter 14

You Are Loved

Chapter Fourteen

Emma's family and friends waited worryingly for her to arrive after Henry received his mother's frantic call and when she finally pulled up outside of the diner in her yellow bug, the Savior took about a minute to talk to Killian, who was sitting in the passenger's seat, then rushed inside and let out an obvious sigh of relief upon seeing for herself that everyone else, especially her parents, all seemed unaffected by the latest curse. Snow stood, then immediately rushed to her daughter as she ushered her to come sit down and explain what was wrong.

"You look frightened as if you've seen a ghost or something," the Princess said with concern as she looked into her daughter's troubled eyes, while she gently began to pull back her still wet hair, which Snow realized that Emma never left in such a state unless things were really bad.

"Where's Killian?" Henry asked nervously as he looked out the window and saw that Hook was still sitting in the car. "Isn't he coming in?"

Emma looked at him sadly as well, seeing Killian rest his head back against the headboard of the seat as he closed his eyes to help with the pain she knew he was feeling, then she quickly looked back at the others and replied, "No. I asked him to wait outside for me. I didn't want to overwhelm him. Whatever's going on, it's only gotten worse. We've been cursed and Gold has to be the one behind all of this."

Snow asked fearfully, "Cursed? But how? What…?"

"How do you know Gold's the one behind, whatever's going on?" David added before his wife could even finish.

"When I woke up this morning, Killian was still asleep," the Savior responded in frustration, dreading that she had to explain to them what she didn't understand yet herself. "I felt a strange sense that something was wrong when I looked over at him, but I shrugged it off again like I always seem to keep doing with him. Yet, when I got out of the shower… Killian didn't recognize me. He had no idea who I was, or where he was. He just kept looking at me and around the room in fear and when I tried to touch him, he trembled, then pulled away from me."

Ariel looked at her friend as she stated, "Oh my goodness, that's terrible."

Henry looked at his mother as she finally sat down in the booth beside him and then he asked, "So, he's lost his memory, of everything since before he met you back when he was working with Cora?"

"No," Emma answered confusingly. "Not really, but… I mean, yes his memories are completely gone, but what he believes he remembers… his whole life, are false memories. From the alternate world we were all stuck in when Isaac and Gold trapped us inside the Author's book. Killian believes he's Blackbeard's deckhand before Henry even boarded his ship to enlist his help to save me from the tower. He's scared and he's confused. And along with the lack of memories, the curse has left him with a headache that's really bad. I just don't know if it's from the curse, or the stress of everything that happened ever since Brennan came back from the dead and ruined everything Killian's worked so hard to leave behind."

"My God, Emma," David replied despondently. "I'm so sorry. At least for now he doesn't remember anything from last night. He won't suffer the guilt for having to kill his own father and everything else he's gone through for now."

Snow suddenly asked, "Wait, before you said that the both of you were cursed. Are you okay?"

The Savior raised her hand again like she had done before in her home and tried to create a ball of light as she responded brusquely, "Other than the fact that my powers are gone, I'm just perfect."

"This is bad," Regina answered in frustration. "It's bad for Killian of course, but without your powers, Emma, Gold will be able to bring down the Savior once and for if that's what he's after, just as Zelena tried to do when she forced Hook to remove them. My point is, without your magic… "

Emma suddenly interrupted, "This isn't necessarily about me. I mean, something tells me that I'm not the one in the most danger and so far, I haven't been wrong. Gold needed to make sure that I can't get in the way of his plans. He wants to hurt me and he knows that the best way to do that is by going after the people I love. He's gotten to Killian and I have to help him. I'm grateful that no one else has been effected yet."

David nodded in agreement, as did Snow, as he replied, "You and me both."

"Henry, you have to use the pen to reverse this somehow," his mother pleaded as she reached out to grab her son's hands. "Since it was the previous Author's spell that created this alternate reality, surely you can change it back, just as you did before when we were all trapped in his book."

"I can try, but if I'm going to do it, then I'll need Isaac's original edition of _Heroes and Villains_ , which is what I wrote the phrase in to reverse his magic the first time," the fifteen year old responded as he reached into his coat pocket for the quill, not knowing yet that it was missing.

Everyone watched as his face become troubled when he realized the magical pen wasn't where he carefully placed it, and Regina turned to him as she asked in concern, "Henry, what is it? What's wrong?"

He raised his head while lost in his thoughts and then finally looked between both of his mothers as he answered, "It's gone. The quill… it's not in my pocket like it was last night when I…"

"What?" Violet asked worryingly as the boy she was coming to care for suddenly turned to her with a look of disappointment and betrayal on his face. "Henry, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Last night, when you ran up to me after the celebration to make sure I was doing okay…" Henry began, then paused for a few moments so he could try to think of any other possible explanation for the quill missing so that he wouldn't have to accuse the girl he was falling for of stealing it from him. "Please tell me you didn't do it."

Everyone began to stare at her, but she kept her eyes on him as she asked again, "Did what? Do you really think that I would steal the pen from you, after all we've been through together? I didn't take it, Henry. I would never hurt you. You have to believe me."

The older teenager replied sadly, "I want to believe you, Violet. But I know that I had it with me last night and now I don't. Besides, you asked me to kiss you and I did. It would have been the perfect opportunity to take it."

"Maybe so, but I didn't," the fourteen year old responded angrily as she stood up and stepped away from everyone. "If you can really think that I would hurt you like this, then you're not as special as I thought you were."

"Violet wait!" Henry pleaded and stood when she suddenly stormed out of the diner in tears. "What did I just do?"

Regina immediately stood with her son as she pulled him into his arms and answered, "It will be all right, Henry. We'll figure this out."

Emma sighed in frustration and then replied, "She is telling the truth, but I sensed something else. I'm just not sure what it is. Gold must have known that we would try to use your Author powers to fix this, so he was prepared and somehow got his hands on it, and probably the book too no doubt."

"If you're going to see him, I'm going with you," David responded assuredly.

"I'll come too," Prince Eric added as he stood with him and the Savior. "I want to help. I owe it to all of you and especially Hook for helping me and Ariel."

Snow continued, "And the rest of us will take care of Killian for you. Don't worry, Emma. We won't let anything more happen to him while you're out doing your job. Find out what's going on and fix it like you always do. And you will, I am absolutely sure of that."

Emma allowed her mother to hug her before she could leave, but as she was doing so, the door to the diner opened as Killian cautiously walked inside and when everyone turned their eyes on him, he spoke up nervously saying, "Uh… Forgive me for the intrusion. I know you said it best that I wait out in your peculiar vessel, but I…"

"No, it's okay," Emma quickly interrupted as she rushed over to him and escorted him to one of the booths, while Henry stood up to let his friend have a seat in his place. "I'm sorry. It's just that I didn't want to worry or overwhelm you."

"What is the name of this town we're in?" he asked again as Granny suddenly startled him as she appeared and set a mug of hot cocoa with cinnamon in front of him, warning him that the cup was hot. "I don't… recall how it is I got here, exactly."

Emma raised her hand to her forehead as she looked at the man she loved sadly, while David answered him for her, "Storybrooke. Our town is called Storybrooke. As for how you got here, actually you've been here all along."

Killian shook his head as he objected fearfully, "No… no I can't… Surely I would remember. Why can't I…? First, you tell me you know me and you… you spoke of powers and some, alternate reality. Yet I know nothing. Not of you or how you could possibly know of a name I hardly remember myself."

"It's a long story and I can only imagine how difficult it's going to be for you to believe me, to believe us," the woman who loved him replied sadly as she reached out to gently grasp his hand in hers until he once again pulled away from her, then stood up and moved away from everyone.

"I need to find Captain Blackbeard," Hook responded firmly. "Or at the very least, the Jolly Roger. If I don't get back, he'll come searching for me and if that happens… he'll kill me for thinking I ran off."

Henry moved to stand beside Emma as he answered calmly, "It's all right. Blackbeard isn't here. He's somewhere either in the Enchanted Forest, or in Arendelle. We're also in another realm. He can't get to you here. But you don't have to worry about him anyway. Because you're the Captain of the Jolly Roger, not him. And she's right here in our harbor."

Hook scoffed, then replied, "I'm no Captain. I'm nothing more than a deckhand. And a poor one at that. If the ship's here…"

"We'll take you to find it," the fifteen year old responded again as he looked at Emma and nodded as she smiled at him. "Maybe it'll help to jog some of your memories."

"Thank you, lad," Killian answered sincerely. "I hope you're right."


	15. Chapter 15

You Are Loved

Chapter Fifteen

Emma finally left the diner along with David and Prince Eric as they swiftly made their way down the street to Gold's shop. When they arrived and stormed inside, Gold walked out from the back room and pounded the bottom of his cane against the floor at his feet as he sighed in frustration upon seeing the heroes once again, then stated coldly, "Miss. Swan. And David, as well as Prince Eric I presume. Exactly what is it you wish to discuss with me this time?"

She stormed toward him until her father held her back as Emma answered angrily, "Cut the bullshit and tell me what the hell you did to us! Killian believes he's back in the alternate reality you helped create with Isaac's help and my powers are gone. What did you do?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," the villain replied while looking the Savior straight in her eyes. "But if what you say is true, then I am sorry."

"You're lying again," she responded coldly.

Mr. Gold sneered, "Oh really? Exactly what is it I'm lying about? You know what, you are absolutely right. I am lying about being sorry. Because I'm not."

David glared at the pawnshop owner as he answered curtly, "You know exactly what we're talking about. Stop playing word games and tell us what you know. Are you behind the curse that's been put over my daughter and Hook, or aren't you?"

"I'm afraid I am not," Rumple replied smugly. "But perhaps if you tell me exactly what's going on, then I may be able to be of some assistance. If only to get you out of my shop once again."

"You may not be behind it, but you know something," August responded sternly as he walked into the shop in time to hear the villain's denial and walked over to stand with Emma, her father, and the Prince, keeping his eyes on Gold as he did so. "Trust me, I know a thing or two about lying and have become pretty good at reading it on others myself. I ran into everyone else as they were leaving Granny's. They briefly told me what happened to you and Killian, Emma. I thought I could be of better help to you here."

David smiled at him as he spoke up again saying, "You're just in time."

Gold glared at the man he had restored back to his self when he and the Queens of Darkness had kidnapped and tortured for information months ago, then finally answered, "If Pinocchio here is the last one of you to arrive, perhaps we can get this over with. Exactly what kind of curse are we dealing with this time?"

"We already told you," Emma replied coldly. "Killian only knows of the life you forced him into when you trapped us all inside the Author's book and I'm powerless. You, or someone else has brought your alternate reality here and so far, we're the only ones who have been effected."

"Be grateful that you're the only ones," the villain responded. "And how is it that you've explained to the one handed coward the reason why he's come to be here in Storybrooke, rather than being a slave to Captain Blackbeard onboard his own ship?"

Emma clenched her fists as she answered furiously, "I know damn well what you tried to make him when you wrote his story. You wanted him to suffer the same humiliation you're used to yourself. Making him a coward was justice to you. But Killian proved he was a better man than you when he stood against my parents and gave his life to protect me and Henry. He had no reason to believe that by helping us, he would be helping to turn everything back to the way things really were and yet he was willing to sacrifice himself to try. That's true bravery. Powers or no powers… I swear to God if Killian dies as a result of this curse because he died the first time…"

Rumpelstiltskin glared at the woman threatening him as he interrupted cruelly, "Your precious pirate whom you think of so highly should be just fine so long as you keep him that way, Savior. Save your threats. There isn't much that I can help you with, but I can tell you that if you want a chance to break this curse, you will be needing this."

"Are you going to demand something in return for it?" August asked after the former Author's storybook appeared in the villain's hands. "You never give anything away without a price."

"Wait a minute, I thought Henry had the book after we arrested Isaac," Emma replied suspiciously. "How did you get it?"

As he began to flip through the pages in search for a specific story, Gold responded, "I simply summoned it to me. But the wooden boy is correct. If you want this book that I now have in my possession despite where it came from, I do want something for it. Otherwise, I can make it simply disappear or burn it. Each of you know that I am not beyond blackmail and you don't have your powers to use against me in order to just take it."

David looked at him sternly as he questioned, "Exactly what do you want?"

"What I want, is the sea bracelet your mermaid is currently in possession of, Your Highness," Rumple answered as he turned to Eric.

"That bracelet allows Ariel to remain on land," the Prince replied in frustration. "It gives her legs and allows her to be with me. I can't give it to you."

David quickly responded, "Come on, Gold. Surely you can think of something else we can give you."

He smiled as he said smugly, "I'm afraid that is my price, dearies. If you really want this book, you will give me the sea bracelet. You know where to find me when you decide your answer."


	16. Chapter 16

You Are Loved

Chapter Sixteen

In Hook's alternate reality…

As darkness fell one night years ago, Captain Blackbeard and his crewmen were all celebrating after they pillaged the treasures, food, as well as the wine and rum from a merchant ship that had come across the Jolly Roger earlier that afternoon, then took the surviving members of its crew prisoner. The Captain and first mate of the crew had been killed, as well as most of the other able-bodied crewmen and some of the women as well. Those that were fortunate, or unfortunate enough to survive, were escorted down the Jolly Roger's holding cells and Blackbeard gave his crew explicit orders not to give them anything to eat or drink so long as they remained onboard until they could be ransomed off or killed later on.

However, the celebration wasn't just in honor of another one of Blackbeard's many victories, but to honor Liam Jones as well, as Killian's older brother had finally earned his freedom and right to become a member of the Captain's crew. Though Killian wasn't invited to join in on the revelries, the deckhand chose to remain below deck in either the galley or within the brig as he cleaned the floors and everything else he could, not wanting to watch his brother become another pirate as vicious as Blackbeard and the rest of his men.

It was late into the night, after most of the pirates were passed out drunk or well on their way to becoming so, that Killian entered back inside the brig quietly carrying a small portion of food on a tray that was meant to be his own ration from the day, and without a word he unlocked one of the cell doors and handed the tray to two children who were no more than five or six years old, nodded, then started to leave until a hand reached out from inside the bars and stopped him as Killian turned back around to look into the grateful eyes of a woman, who was clearly the children's mother.

"Thank you, kind Sir," she whispered sincerely. "For the food and for your generosity."

"Your gratitude is unnecessary," Killian responded sadly as he looked into her eyes, then quickly turned away again. "I haven't done anything that deserves your kindness, only what should have been done earlier. Children shouldn't have to go hungry. When you're finished, I'll be back to collect the dishes."

One of the men, who was father to the children spoke up saying, "You're not like the rest of the pirates of your crew."

Without looking back at them, Killian replied sternly, "I'm not a pirate. Eat fast. There's no telling when someone else might come down here."

Less than an hour later, Killian walked up on deck in order to begin cleaning the ship's floorboards, as well as to clean up after the pirates once the celebration finally ended. But as he stepped foot above, two of the crewmen grabbed him roughly and once again forced him down onto his knees before their Captain as they've done many times, whenever Killian was in real trouble.

"You really just couldn't keep yourself out of trouble," the first mate said cruelly as he held Killian down, grasping him roughly by his hair and the back of his neck. "Could you, you little bastard?"

"Explain yourself, deckhand," Blackbeard stated brusquely. "I gave explicit orders to each of my men not to feed or help the prisoners and yet I understand you went behind my back while we've been trying to celebrate Liam's initiation into my crew, because you were foolish enough to believe that you could get away with it."

When Killian didn't answer, Liam walked up behind him and took over holding his brother down for the second in command as he cried angrily, "Speak up! When our Captain wants an explanation, you give it to him."

The younger Jones finally answered fearfully, "The child… children were hungry. I only gave them my… my own rations. I wasn't eating it. I didn't think…"

"You never do think, do you?" the Captain responded coldly. "One of the men caught you carrying the dishes out of the brig as you brought them up into the galley. It is one thing that you continue to bumble on and be the worthless deckhand that you are, but it's quite another for you to disobey me completely."

"Bring them out!" Blackbeard shouted to his men suddenly as the two children and their parents were all dragged up on deck after being taken from the holding cells, then were forced down to their knees as Killian had been, while Liam swiftly pulled his brother back up to his feet and held him tightly so that he was forced to watch what was about to happen. "Kill the head of the family."

As the first mate raised his sword over the father's head while his wife and kids screamed, Killian cried out, "No!"

The sword came down and the man's body fell to the deck as the pirate cut him down while the children both grabbed onto their mother and wailed loudly upon seeing their father being killed in front of them, tears pouring down the woman's face. Blackbeard turned to another of the men and nodded, then Killian was swiftly forced back to his knees by two of the crewmen right in front of the surviving members of the family as he and the woman locked eyes with one another while they waited fearfully for what was to come.

The Captain's second in command grabbed Killian's left arm and forced it out in front of him as he raised his blade over his head once again, while one of the other crewmembers grabbed the oldest of the two children, forced him down like his father had been, then Blackbeard called out, "It's your decision, deckhand Jones. Do I have my man kill the boy like his father, or shall I have him take your hand instead?"

"Liam, please!" Killian begged him as he turned his head to try to get his brother's attention, but the older Jones simply turned away from him, keeping his head down low while Killian's punishment continued.

"What's your decision?" the Captain spoke again more forcefully as he backhanded Killian once again as he's done many times before while he was held in place. "If you don't decide, your punishment will be both. Come on, save yourself and show us the coward you really are by letting the boy die."

Killian looked into the mother's frightened eyes once again and knew what he had to do as he finally closed his eyes tightly, then stuttered fearfully, "Han… hand. Take my… hand."

Blackbeard smiled and nodded at his first mate, who swiftly swung his sword down and cut off the younger Jones' left hand as Killian screamed in agony, then collapsed upon the deck after the men holding him released him. All of the pirates laughed at their deckhand while he held his handless arm tight against his chest, except for Liam.

The mother of the children swiftly wriggled out of her own captors' grasps and rushed to Killian's side, then looked up at the Captain pleadingly as she asked if she could care for the man who just saved her son's life and tried to help them at great risk to himself. The cruel man nodded, then looked over at Liam as he ordered him to drag his brother down into brig. Liam complied while he dragged Killian away as the woman and her children followed sadly, not watching as two of the pirates picked up the body of the dead man and tossed him overboard.

Back in the present…

Emma walked quietly into the galley of the ship where Henry guided her and found Killian sitting on the floor in the corner of the room with his eyes closed and his head down against the back of his hand held up by his elbow resting on his knee. It was obvious that he had become lost in his thoughts while he struggled to understand what was happening to him.

She turned to her son as she asked quietly, "How long has he been like this?"

"Pretty much since we got here," Henry replied worryingly. "When he found that Blackbeard and his crew were nowhere in sight, and that his ship was… different than he believed it would be, Killian became agitated again, then came down here and sat. He's been silent ever since. I tried talking to him, but nothing helped him any."

"I'll talk to him," Emma whispered, then watched her son leave before she turned back to the man she loved as she walked over and sat down on the floor in front of him. "Killian?"

Without looking up or opening his eyes, he knew who was there as he answered, "How many times do I have to tell you, love? It's Hook or anything else, but not Killian."

She fought to keep in her own emotions as she kept her eyes on him while she responded sadly, "I know this is hard for you to believe. All of this, I mean. I can only imagine how you must be feeling."

"Like I'm going mad," Killian replied curtly as he finally raised his head and opened his eyes to look around him, anywhere else besides at the beautiful woman sitting with him. "You all tried to tell me Blackbeard isn't here and that I'm supposedly the Captain of this ship, which is in far better shape than I remember, but it can't be true. I know nothing about being a Captain, let alone being a pirate."

"You're a better pirate than you know, but you're also a good man, which sets you apart from all the other pirates I know, which actually isn't very many aside from your crew," Emma rambled until she realized she was doing so and stopped, then saw that he was finally looking at her. "I wish there was something I could say, or do that would help you. I just don't know how yet. But we will figure it out. I need you to trust me."

Hook sighed and closed his eyes again in frustration, then looked down at his hook as he answered, "I want to. Believe me, I would give anything to not be the man I know I am. But if you say I have been cursed to believe I am as I am, who's to say that you're not a part of some curse trying to destroy my sanity? I feel like I'm stuck in some kind of dream. And when I wake up, I don't know what's real. Until I somehow know for sure, I have to believe in what I know and that's that Blackbeard will be coming back for his ship. If I don't try to prove I didn't try to run…"

When he didn't finish, she reached out to try to touch his hand until he immediately pulled away from her once more, then Emma asked worryingly, "Why are you so afraid of this man? What did he do to you?"

"Please, let me help you," she pleaded when he continued to remain silent as he kept his eyes on his hook, then a realization suddenly donned on her. "He's the one you believe took your hand, isn't he?"

"I don't… I don't just believe it," Killian responded in frustration as he looked up at her again. "Blackbeard had his second in command cut off my hand with his cutlass. You don't know him as I do. I've been his slave for years and I've seen him do, unspeakable things. My hand is nothing."

Emma urged him to continue as she asked, "What's he done?"

He closed his eyes as if to try to remember while he quietly replied, "I lost my hand because I tried to be brave enough to go against him when he and his pirates took several survivors of a merchant ship captive as I fed two small children after Blackbeard said they were all to starve. The rations were my own, but I got caught. Because of my mistake, the father of these children was murdered in front of his family and myself. And to make things worse, he told me I had to choose between keeping my hand and sparing the life of the older child."

"And you lost your hand," the Savior said when he paused for a few moments. "That isn't the action of a coward, Killian."

"Nor does it make me a hero like you would have me believe I am," Killian answered curtly. "Forgive me… I didn't mean…"

Emma gently laid her hand down on his knee as she cut him off and responded, "You don't have to apologize for getting angry. Go on. Don't stop now."

He sighed in frustration and then replied, "I've seen Blackbeard kill a man for drinking his wine and another for calling him a foul name. I was forced to watch as Blackbeard… as he pulled my brother between him and another pirate that tried to mutiny against him as the bastard ran Liam through with his sword. Blackbeard used Liam as a shield to protect himself even though my brother was loyal to him. I was hardly the brother Liam deserved and he despised me for it, but I loved him still. The only reason I survived that battle, was because I hid. I froze and Liam's death was my punishment for being the coward that I am. Tell me the truth, can you honestly claim to love a man like that?"

"You're not that man," she answered sadly. "You're not…"

"This other me you believe exists, doesn't," Hook responded upon cutting her off as he stood up and started to walk away from her until he paused to look back at her once more before he left. "Or if he does, you simply have the wrong man because I am not him."

As he turned his back to her again, Emma quickly wiped away the tears that threatened to fall while she pleaded, "Killian, please don't go."

He lowered his head while he remained as he was, then replied brusquely, "It's just Hook, Emma. Killian died a long time ago back when my father abandoned Liam and I, then Liam turned his back on me for being to blame for ruining our lives. Since then, I've been called bastard, whelp, boy, or deckhand, and since losing my hand it's always been Hook, but never my own name I've long ago forgotten. I have a question for you. In this… alternate reality you claim my memories are from, what happened to me after we met?"

"You died," the woman who loved him answered with fear in her voice. "When we were trapped in the Author's book, my son came to you asking for help to rescue me from a tower and even though you were afraid, you still did it because you knew it was the right thing to do. And when we came together, you believed me without even knowing me. Your fear to believe me now, must be stronger because whoever did this doesn't want you to come back to me so easily."

"Easily?" Hook scoffed. "Nothing about that sounds easy."

Emma nodded as she responded, "You're right. But for some reason, you believed me anyway. And then we were attacked by… well by the Evil Queen and her lead guard. You bravely gave your life for me and Henry as the guard stabbed you in the back and I had to watch you die. It was one of the worst moments of my life."

Killian looked at the persistent woman still with him as he replied sadly, "He sounds like a romantic. I guess you have nothing to worry about then. I know you believe wholeheartedly that all you say is true, but you're wrong about me. I had one brief moment of bravery and it all disappeared that night after I lost my hand. For the last time, I am not that man. I don't have it in me to be brave. I'm nothing more than a cowardly deckhand, who would sooner run away in fear than to help you in the first sight of danger. I'm surely not worth your trouble. If you'll forgive me, I must go."

"Emma, is everything all right?" Snow asked worryingly as her daughter walked up on deck after everyone saw Killian leave the ship. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she answered curtly, not being upset with anyone, but herself for failing to convince Killian of anything. "I've tried to tell him about who he really is and about the man he was even while we were trapped in Isaac's book. But he doesn't believe me. He's so lost and scared… And I don't know what to do. We need that book and we need to find the quill."


	17. Chapter 17

You Are Loved

Chapter Seventeen

While Emma was down with Killian inside the ship's galley after Henry escorted her below deck, David and the others remained above to talk with the women about Gold's proposition in regards to giving them the former Author's book in exchange for Ariel's sea bracelet, to which the mermaid replied worryingly, "I don't understand. Why would Gold want my bracelet? He and Regina gave it back to me when we were in Neverland upon me doing him… them both a favor. If he wanted my bracelet, he could have just kept it and I wouldn't have been able to do anything about it."

David looked at her as he replied, "He probably didn't realize how valuable it was at the time, or that he would have needed it now. I can only imagine what he wants it for."

"Whatever it is, it can't be good," Snow said in frustration. "This wrong, David. Doesn't he know that that bracelet is the only way Ariel can remain on land to be with Eric?"

"Yeah, he knows," the Prince from the Maritime Kingdom answered angrily. "We told him as such, but he didn't care. In fact he was quite pleased that it would cost us so much."

Snow then turned to Regina as she asked pleadingly, "Is there any chance that you have another bracelet we can give him, or to Ariel? Or maybe you can create a spell to duplicate it?"

The Mayor shook her head as she looked down at the bracelet on the young woman's wrist and responded, "I'm afraid a bracelet such as this very rare and it's magic makes it impossible for me to just conjure up another one with a simple spell."

"Well what about a difficult one?" Snow White asked again more curtly.

"I'm sorry," the former Evil Queen replied, looking between the two Princesses seeking her help. "It's just not possible."

David spoke up again saying remorsefully, "I know how much that bracelet means to you and it's wrong for us to ask you to give up your lives together…"

Ariel looked up into Eric's eyes sadly for a few moments and then turned to Charming and Snow again as she answered, "But you need that book in order to save Hook. You don't have to apologize. Believe me, I understand. We'll both be just fine and it's possible that we may be able to find a way to get another sea bracelet. I can… I can go talk with my father, or find Ursula and Poseidon if I have to. But Hook can't go on living a life that isn't his, especially if this false life could kill him."

"Take it," she continued sadly while she walked over to the starboard of the ship to sit down on its side, then pulled off the bracelet and handed it over to Snow as her legs suddenly transformed back into her tail. "Besides, it's not like Eric and I will never see each other. After we leave here to go back home, I'll stay by the shores and he can come see me whenever he can."

"Wait, you don't have to give it up just yet," Henry called out as he ran over to them after he came back up on deck and had heard the last bit of their conversation. "We don't have the quill right now and we don't know who does. But I do know that Violet never would have taken it from me, which is why I have to go talk to her."

Snow smiled at her grandson, then turned to Ariel and Eric again as she responded confidently, "Henry's right. At least wait until we have no other choice. Maybe by the time we can find the quill and discover who is behind all this, since it's not Gold, we won't actually need you to give up your happiness too. Thank you both so much for understanding."

Eric helped Ariel back down off the edge once she placed the bracelet back on her wrist and then the mermaid smiled as she replied, "We just want to help in any way we can. It's what's right."

"Great, now… I have to go find Violet," Henry stated quickly as he ran down the gangplank to the dock the Jolly Roger was tied off to. "I just hope she'll forgive me for thinking that she could have actually stolen it from me."

"Don't worry," David answered smugly. "I have a feeling that she will. We all make mistakes. The two of you definitely have something special."

After going to Violet's apartment where she lived with her father since they arrived in Storybrooke, Henry found Violet a short time later thanks to her father telling him that he would find his daughter at the town library talking with Belle. However, when Violet saw Henry walk in, she quickly stood up and apologized to Belle for having to leave so abruptly, but before she could, Henry immediately stood in her way to prevent her from running off.

The fourteen year old glared at him as she asked angrily, "Henry, what are you doing here? I thought I made it clear that I didn't want to talk to you again?"

He nodded as he responded, "You did. And believe me, I understand why you ran off at the diner. I was an idiot for thinking that you would actually hurt me like that. I know you wouldn't. I came here because I wanted to apologize for accusing you of betraying me."

"I appreciate that, but I don't know if I can just forgive you after a few words," she retorted in frustration. "I thought that you trusted me and the fact that you could think I would steal from you…"

"I know," Henry interrupted. "I know words don't mean anything, but I hope that you'll give me a chance to prove to you that I really am sorry. My family and I are trying to find out who's behind stealing the quill and who cast the curse on Killian and my mom. I was hoping that you would come with me, to help?"

Violet looked into Henry's eyes and smiled, then she replied, "Of course. How is Killian by the way?"

He looked down as he answered sadly, "Not good. He's not hurt or anything, but he's confused and not himself. Mom's really worried about him and so am I. Also, she doesn't have her powers right now and if anything happens…"

"You'll find who did all this, Henry," Violet responded sincerely before Henry could finish his sentence, then suddenly thought of something as they were about to leave. "Wait, you said that you saw me last night after the celebration ended. That I had run after you to make sure you were okay. But I don't remember that. Actually, I don't remember anything after we left Granny's and not until I woke up this morning."

"If that's true, then whoever's behind all this must have put some kind of spell on you to get you to steal the quill for them," Belle replied as she walked over to the two teenagers. "You should go to Regina and ask if she can sense if there's any residual magic left. If I'm right, she might be able to trace it back to whoever might have cast the spell."

Henry nodded and then answered, "That's great. I can't believe I didn't think of it. Thank you, Belle. Thank you so much."

As they ran off, she quickly responded, "You're welcome!"

Belle smiled, happy that she was able to help them in what little way she was able to. The young beauty was happy to see that Henry and Violet had begun a relationship, which was something she missed since she had been under the sleeping curse. However, seeing them together just now also made her miss Rumple even more than she already did, at least the man she knew was in him somewhere.

She let out a sad sigh and then got back to reorganizing the piles of books the heroes had used to do their research on Hades, but didn't have the chance to put back in their right place. It didn't bother her. In fact, she was grateful for the work as it helped her to take her mind off of the man she still loved. Belle still had hope that one day, he will realize that she is enough for him to be happy without his power.


	18. Chapter 18

You Are Loved

Chapter Eighteen

Hook had listened to the Savior sadly as she continued to talk of the man whom she loved with her whole heart, all the while trying to convince him to believe that he was that man. And when she answered the one real question he had for her since the only life he ever knew changed so suddenly, telling him that Killian Jones had made the ultimate sacrifice for her and her son by giving his life for them, that was when he could no longer tolerate being anywhere near her. Emma was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life and he wanted to believe her, to believe that he could be that man for her, but he couldn't believe he was any more than the man he was. It was then that he spoke a few last words in hope of convincing her of how wrong she was about him and left her behind so that he could be alone to try to think of anything, other than of her.

After he stormed past Emma's family and friends and left the Jolly Roger, Killian walked along the beach in silence while he struggled to understand what was happening to him. Nothing made sense ever since he awoke earlier that morning and like his entire life, he was afraid. Everyone here in Storybrooke saw him as some kind of hero and Emma looked at him in a way that made him feel as though he knew her better than he ever knew anyone, as she knew him.

 _Hook had become so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear Henry or Violet calling out to him in the distance, but when the teenagers ran up behind him and Henry gently placed his hand down on his friend's shoulder to get his attention, a vision or a strange memory suddenly forced its way into his mind as he was once again onboard the Jolly Roger cleaning the deck per Blackbeard's orders until Henry walked up the gangplank and shouted out, "Ahoy! Is anyone here?"_

 _Killian stopped working as he stood up straight upon hearing someone call out and walk on deck, then immediately stepped around the ship's wheel toward the stranger and asked, "Careful, boy. No one steps aboard the Jolly Roger's decks without an invitation from its Captain first."_

 _"Are you gonna make me walk the plank?" the boy asked flippantly as he turned and walked toward the deckhand, happy to have found the man he was looking for._

 _"All depends on why you're here," Hook stated as he stared at him in confusion, having no idea who this young man was._

 _As he made his way up onto the upper deck where his friend remained standing, Henry answered confidently, "I need a ship to take me to the Bottomless Sea."_

 _The deckhand responded worryingly, "Now, those are treacherous waters. There must be something of great value there to be worth taking the risk."_

 _Henry handed him the drawing of a map while he replied adamantly, "Someone. Her name is Emma. She's my mom. And she was put there by the Queen."_

 _"Well then, I'm sorry for you," Killian answered sincerely, though he was also wary over the boy's desire to want to cross the dangerous waters as he hand the paper back to him. "Even if I wanted to, I can't help you."_

 _"Why?" the teenager asked quickly, making it clear that he didn't know Hook as he believed he did. "You're a Captain. Can't you take your ship wherever you want?"_

 _All of a sudden a laugh sounded behind Henry as another pirate walked onboard as the man asked smugly, "A Captain? Is that who he says he is?"_

 _The man glared at Killian as he remained on the lower deck and continued, "I thought I told you to be done swabbing the decks when I return."_

 _"I'm sorry, Captain Blackbeard," Hook responded fearfully and turned away until he froze when Henry spoke again._

 _"Wait... He's the Captain?" he questioned with disbelief._

 _While keeping his eyes on his servant, Blackbeard drew his sword and replied cruelly, "Indeed. Unless Deckhand Hook wants to keep playing pretend. What do you say, Hook? Beat me, and the Jolly Roger is yours. Or are you still a one-handed coward?"_

 _When Killian immediately rushed to get back to work as the man who owned him ordered him to, Henry watched his friend worryingly as he asked, "What are you doing? Stand up to him! You can beat him."_

 _"I'm afraid you don't know me very well," Hook answered nervously as he looked at the young man once again. "I'm sorry. I can't help you."_

 _"Then I'll have to help you," Henry responded sternly, then swiftly drew a sword, cut through a rope attached to a pulley as it swung down from above and knocked Captain Blackbeard out._

 _The deckhand stood again upon seeing his Captain fall to the deck unconscious after being hit by the rigging and rushed toward Henry as he shouted fearfully, "What the bloody hell are you doing?"_

 _The fifteen year old replied confidently, "Getting you your ship back. Come on. Let's dump Blackbeard and go."_

 _"You think it's that easy?" Killian asked with confusion. "I can't sail the Jolly Roger alone."_

 _"I can help," he answered curtly._

 _Hook looked at him quizzically as he asked, "How do you know how to sail a ship?"_

 _Henry responded smugly, "I had a great teacher... You."_

"Killian?" Henry asked worryingly again, having had to call out his name several times after he rushed over to him when his friend gasped and suddenly doubled over as if in pain, then stared off at nothing while he became trapped within a memory until he finally blinked and slowly stood straight again. "Killian, what happened? Are you okay?"

"Henry?" Hook stated fearfully upon seeing him and the other teenager he remembered seeing earlier at the diner now standing before him while they looked at him with worry on their faces. "I… I don't understand. I saw… remembered something that never happened. At least I think I did, but… It's not possible. I have never met you before."

The fifteen year old looked over at Violet nervously, then turned back to Killian as he enquired, "What did you see?"

His friend shook his head in frustration as he turned away from them and then replied, "I saw Captain Blackbeard, as he challenged me to a duel, for ownership of the Jolly Roger… I think. But you were there. You asked for my help, just as your mother said you had once. You needed me to take you to save her."

"Killian, this is great," Henry answered excitedly. "I think you're beginning to remember things, but… Well, actually you're still remembering Isaac's false reality, but at least you're remembering. Me anyway."

"It's not possible," Hook retorted in frustration. "How can I be remembering something, that never happened? As I told your mother, I am not the man you want me to be. It can't be possible. Please, just leave me be."

Killian ran away from them as Henry shouted out, "Killian, wait! Please, let us help you!"

I can't even begin to imagine what he's feeling," Violet whispered sadly as she gently reached out to touch Henry's arm to comfort him. "Are you okay, Henry?"

"Yeah… I'm fine," he responded in frustration, then turned around to look at the girl standing beside him. "Come on, we need to go talk to my mom… Emma. She needs to know what just happened and we need to see if Mom… Regina, can detect any remaining magic in you so we can try to trace it back to who is responsible for all of this."

"I really hope Belle was right," Violet replied sincerely. "The sooner that we can find out who did this, the sooner we can help Killian and your mom."


	19. Chapter 19

You Are Loved

Chapter Nineteen

Once Emma walked back up on deck after Killian left his ship to take some time to be alone, it was clear to Snow and David that their daughter was angry and afraid for her true love and that she wasn't in the mood to talk anymore to anyone. But more than anything else, Emma needed answers so that she could find who was responsible for trying to take Killian away from her again. So, she pushed her own emotions down and walked back to Granny's with her family and friends, to make their way back up to the Charmings' loft where they could talk things through in a place of more comfort for everyone.

As they walked inside the diner, the heroes saw that Maleficent and Lily were sitting in one of the booths having diner, then saw that Marco was also there, sitting at the bar waiting for his son and when August saw him, he separated from the others while he turned to his father and asked worryingly, "Papa, is everything all right? I thought you were meeting up with Dr. Hopper tonight. What are you doing here?"

Marco nodded and looked between his son and Emma, who had also walked over to him to make sure he was okay, then he responded, "Yes, I am. And Archie will be meeting with me here in a few minutes for dinner. I heard that there was trouble beyond the storms that occurred yesterday, both at sea and right here last night at the celebration. How is Killian?"

"Not good," Emma answered in frustration, then her eyes softened again as she looked at the old man showing sincere concern. "He was already in pain and ashamed from having to kill his father in front of us all last night. And now he has no memory of who he really is and he's terrified that he's going crazy. But what's worse… Killian doesn't believe he's worth our trouble trying to help him."

"You will find a way," the wood carver replied confidently. "If there is anything that you need, please let me know. I want to help him."

David and Snow walked over to them as the Prince spoke up saying, "You know, in a way it seems strange that we're having to deal with only one of us suffering from the loss of memory. We're so used to it being all of us."

Snow nodded in agreement, then she added, "Yes, but out of all of us, Killian is the only one of us who was never affected by the curses, except for when we were all trapped inside Isaac's book."

"When he came to New York to try to convince me that the life I was living was a lie because I had been put under a curse, I kept telling Killian that he was crazy and a liar," Emma said again sadly. "I told him that just because he believed what he was telling me was true, that it didn't make it real. I accused him of being a madman and now, here I am trying to convince him of the same thing, only he's the one who has no memory and a simple memory potion isn't going to fix this like it did for me. He has been cursed, but by magic that is more powerful than a memory spell."

"Emma, you may not have your powers right now, but we are not without magic," her mother responded worryingly. "We are not without hope. We will find Henry's quill and we will get back the book from Gold somehow, without having to separate Ariel and Eric. We've defeated several dark curses, terrible villains, and the darkness despite Gold's deceit in bringing it back. Please, don't give into your fear for Killian and beat yourself up so much."

August smiled as he looked at his closest friend again and continued, "Hey, don't forget… Eventually Killian was able to convince you that he was speaking the truth and got you to believe in him enough to drink the potion that restored your memories. The love you share is the most powerful love there is, even back before you knew that you loved him as much as he was in love with you. I have no doubt that you'll be able to save him now. You just need to believe again, but in yourself. We all do."

The Savior nodded and then answered, "You're right. I wish you guys didn't have to keep reminding me of this."

"It's all right," David replied assuredly. "You may be the Savior, but you're also human and our daughter. We all doubt ourselves. But we're all here for you and Killian. Come on, let's head up to…"

"Mom!" Henry cried out as he and Violet suddenly came running into the diner, then rushed over to them. "I thought… I thought you'd still be back… on Killian's… ship."

Emma grabbed her son by his shoulders as he and Violet struggled to catch their breaths between talking, and stated, "Whoa, kid. Just breathe. What's going on? Are you both okay?"

Regina came over to them as she spoke up saying, "It's good to see that the two of you worked things out."

"We did and we kind of want to talk to you about that, but that's not… not what we ran around all over looking… for you all for," Violet responded.

"She's right," the fifteen year old added quickly once his breathing became under control again. "It's Killian. We just saw him walking along the beach on our way back to the harbor. We saw him alone and I wanted to make sure he was okay. It's just… He didn't hear us calling out to him, so when we made our way over to him, I reached out to touch his shoulder. It was then that he suddenly doubled over like he was in pain, but..."

Emma started to leave as she interrupted fearfully, "I have to find him! I never should have let him go."

Before she could run off, Henry grabbed her arm as he retorted, "Mom, wait! That isn't all that happened. He's begun to remember us, but he's remembering us in Isaac's book."

"What do you mean, Henry?" Snow asked with confusion.

"When he finally snapped out of his trance, he looked at me and said my name as though he actually recognized me, though not like he knew us as we are," the teenager answered in frustration. "I just knew the look. He said he remembered something that never happened, but that he didn't know if it was actually a memory or a hallucination of some kind. He mentioned that he saw me when I came to him asking for his help to rescue you from the tower. He said he remembered Blackbeard there too, when the bastard mocked him for being a coward."

Regina looked at her son in surprise at his language as she replied, "Hey, watch your mouth. I don't recall you ever swearing like that before?"

He smiled ashamedly as he responded, "Sorry. It only comes out when I'm angry or really worried about something."

"Like mother, like son," the Queen answered as her eyes turned to Emma, who shrugged and grinned.

"The point is, I think Killian's trying to remember, despite the curse," Henry continued before they got too far off subject. "Either that, or it's the curse that's trying to fight back against our efforts to break him free in order to make him even more confused and scared than he already is."

Violet replied, "He ran off before we could get any more out of him. We don't know where he went."

Emma walked to the door, followed by August, as she answered, "We'll find him. Thank you, Henry."

After Emma and August left Granny's again in search for Killian, then the rest of the heroes walked with the Charmings back to their apartment above the diner, Lily and Maleficent remained sitting in the booth as they turned back to look at one another nervously, having overheard the entire conversation that just occurred in front of them.

"What are we going to do about this, Mother?" Lily asked worryingly, quietly so that no one still inside the diner could hear her. "Is it possible that all of their efforts to remind Hook of who he really is, is really enough to break the curse?"

"It can't be possible," Maleficent replied in frustration. "This curse isn't like the dark curse or any other. The only person who can break this magic is the Author, and the boy can't do that so long as we have the quill."

Lily scoffed and then responded, "And what if we're wrong? I have a feeling Rumpelstiltskin wasn't as forthcoming about the Author's magic as he led us to believe. I don't just want to leave things to chance. We need to separate them."

The Dragon Sorceress sighed and took the last bite of her meal, then as Granny came out from the kitchen to wipe down the bar, she leaned forward so that only her daughter could hear her as she whispered, "I have an idea on how we can do that. But we're going to have to work fast. Emma and her friend are out there looking for the pirate right now."

"Let's get out of here then," the younger woman answered smugly, as she and her mother suddenly vanished within a black cloud of smoke just as Granny turned around to ask them if they wanted something more before she handed them their bill.

"That's just great," the old woman muttered to herself sternly. "That's the third time this month that those witches have gotten out of paying for their meals. I'm really going to have to talk to the sheriffs about having them arrested until they pay me what they owe me. Or at the very least, no more meals until then."

Upstairs in the Charmings loft…

As they entered the apartment, Regina set down her purse on the counter top inside and then asked, "So, what were you saying about wanting to talk to us about the two of you?"

Violet looked over at Henry as her cheeks blushed, then she turned back to his adopted mother and replied, "It's not that. We're fine. Henry apologized and I forgave him."

"But that's not what we needed to talk to you about," Henry quickly added. "We were talking to Belle and she suggested something that we should have realized before. I told you Violet came after me before I made it home from Mom's and Killian's last night. But Violet doesn't remember coming to talk to me after the celebration."

"I don't remember anything after I left Granny's last night," the fourteen year old girl responded nervously. "I remember Killian… protecting Henry's grandfather and then waking up this morning in my bed, but nothing in between."

David answered, "That's definitely strange. If it was you who did in fact go to see Henry before he got home last night…"

Henry quickly interrupted, "It was Violet. I ki… kissed her goodnight. And I think I would know it if it was someone else I kissed."

"Ooh…" Snow teased lovingly. "That's so romantic."

"That wasn't the point, Grandma," the young man replied bashfully as his and Violet's cheeks blushed. "Belle suggested that Violet was put under some kind of trance so that she would steal the quill for whoever is behind this and then was told to forget everything she did last night until she went to bed. Mom, can you sense if there's any magic remaining from the spell that was cast on her?"

Regina raised her hand and used her magic to feel for any residual magic from inside the young girl as she responded quietly, "I can definitely feel something off. You're right about her being put under a trance. And the magic feels, familiar."

David looked at her worryingly as he asked, "Exactly how familiar? Is it enough to figure out who we're dealing with, or who might have the quill?"

"Well I'll be damned," the former Evil Queen answered angrily as she pulled the magic that was left within Violet out of her as it floated into the air between them and then rose to Regina's eye level. "Those witches have been playing us all along."

"What witches?" Ariel asked as she finally spoke since they left Killian's ship. "Is there more than one living here in Storybrooke?"

Regina smiled as she replied, "My sister would like you to believe she was the only witch here, or at least the only one worth being afraid to cross, but yes… There are definitely more than one, just like we have more than one of any magical creature including dragons and fairies."

David asked impatiently, "So, who is it?"

"Maleficent, or more specifically… Lily," the Mayor answered in frustration as she flicked her wrist to vanquish the magic before her, then walked out of the apartment swiftly and rushed back down inside the diner, only to find that the two women were no longer there. "Damn it!"

"They were right here," Snow replied worryingly. "They were right here, which means they must have heard most of our earlier conversation about… Oh God, David. We have to call Emma. If they believe we're getting closer to saving Killian like we do, they might target him in order to stop us. He could be in danger."


	20. Chapter 20

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty

When Emma and August leave the diner, Emma immediately started walking toward the harbor once again out of instinct until she stopped to think, knowing that the two places most familiar to Killian were already the places he ran from, and would know not to remain if he really wanted to remain alone.

"So, do you have any idea where he might have gone?" August asked, seeming to have read the Savior's thoughts.

"He could be anywhere," she replied in frustration as she shook her head, then turned to look over at her closest friend and began to rant in order to let out her anger while August listened. "Except for where I usually find him when he's not with me or my family. He ran to the beach because the ocean calms him whenever he's troubled and even without his memories, he would feel it was the right place to go, but he ran away from Henry. And he wouldn't have returned to his ship because he knows that it would be the first place we would look for him. The same goes for our home too. Killian's afraid and right now nothing here in Storybrooke is familiar or of any help to him, not even the Jolly Roger. If that wasn't bad enough, I can't track him like I've been able to track down anyone else, even before I knew I had powers when I was a bail bonds agent. Killian carries a cell phone, but because he has no memory of us or living here, he doesn't know what a cell phone is and I didn't think to ask him to carry it with him this morning. He doesn't have any credit cards either. I've always been able to find him because I've had my powers. And because I could always feel where he was even before I gave him half of my heart. We have this connection, but it must have been because of my magic because now…"

August finally cut her off as he responded, "Emma, your powers weren't what allowed you to feel him. It was your love for him that did. Which means that it can now if you just stop to breathe, and listen. It's possible that this curse is making it so that your hearts aren't exactly in sync right now, but… Wait a minute. Emma, that's it."

Emma glared at him in confusion as she asked, "What's it?"

"Your heart," he answered quickly as he grabbed Emma's arm and began to pull her toward the church only a few feet away from where they had stopped a few minutes ago. "You can find Killian by finding the other half of your heart. You just need some help from Mother Superior."

"Blue!" Emma called out suddenly as they entered and found the head of the fairies lighting a candle at the front of the church, then rushed forward as she turned to them and saw the urgency on their faces.

She kept her eyes on them as she stated, "Emma, August. It's good to see you, but from the looks on your faces there appears there's trouble. What can I help you with?"

The Savior looked at the Blue Fairy worryingly as she replied, "I need your help to find Killian. Without my powers…"

"Yes, I've heard of all the trouble and of what's happened to Hook," she responded sympathetically. "Of course. If there's anything I can do to help, I will."

"Killian now shares my heart," Emma said quickly. "Can you use your magic to figure out where he is right now?"

August felt the vibration of his phone within his pocket and pulled it out to read the message sent to him, then grabbed Emma's attention as he interrupted sternly, "Your mom and dad have been trying to get ahold of you. They discovered that Maleficent and Lily are the ones behind all this."

As she pulled out her own phone, having ignored the calls that she received as well while she struggled to think of how to find the man she loved, she stated, "What? That's not… Oh God. They were at the diner while we were talking. Killian's in trouble. Blue?"

"Give me your hand and remain quiet," the fairy answered calmly as she reached out to place her hand over Emma's heart and took the Savior's hand with her other, then closed her eyes to try to sense where Killian was. "I've found him, but you better hurry. He is in danger as your parents fear."

Meanwhile…

After Killian left the two teenagers on the beach, despite their pleas for him to come back, he just kept running in no particular direction because he didn't know where or what anything was in this strange town that he found himself in instead of in the Enchanted Forest where he used to believe he's always lived.

By the time he finally stopped running away, the one-handed deckhand found himself surrounded by woods and it was then that he realized he had no idea what direction he had run or how to get back when he was ready to. Without thinking, Killian suddenly slammed his hook into a tree behind him in frustration and while he struggled to free himself, he looked further up the trunk and noticed a large X carved into its bar. However, before he could think anything of it he was interrupted by the sound of a woman calling out from behind him.

"Having a difficult evening?" Lily asked callously, startling Killian as he spun around and stared at the woman in confusion. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. But you look like you could use a friend to talk to."

"Do I know you?" Hook questioned nervously. "Forgive me, but if I do…"

She smiled and slowly made her way closer to him as she replied, "You did know me at one point. I was starting to like you even. I hoped that maybe you felt the same way about me too. My name is Lily. Don't you remember me at all?"

 _Killian looked at her skeptically while she reached out to touch his cheek until all of a sudden, he gasped upon becoming trapped within another memory, finding himself once again onboard the Jolly Roger_ _out in the middle of the ocean, then Emma, who's golden blonde hair was unkept and was wearing a torn blue gown instead of the strange clothes he saw on her earlier, suddenly appeared before him as she turned to him and spoke up saying gently, "Thank you for your help, Killian."_

 _"Uh, yeah, of course," he responded apprehensively. "I'm pleased you regained your… uh… your freedom."_

 _"Me too," she answered while she looked at him with affection until she suddenly became worried, then glanced between him and the stronghold behind them as they began to sail away from it. "Unfortunately, it's not gonna last unless we put some distance between that tower and us before the guard wakes up."_

 _Hook looked at her with confusion as he asked quickly, "Why?"_

 _Emma continued worryingly, "Because that was not any ordinary black knight. Her name is Lily. She's dangerous."_

 _"I don't understand," he replied in confusion. "What's the problem with Lily?"_

 _"Henry, get below now!" the Savior shouted to her son, as soon a dragon suddenly burst through the tower's wall as she roared and started to fly around in search for her prisoner who was aided in her escape, then Emma swiftly turned to Killian again as he covered his head in fear upon seeing the creature flying around the tower, hesitating for a moment until she urged him to fight with her. "I need you to load the cannon with a chain shot. Come on! Now!"_

 _While Hook quickly prepared the canon as she asked, Emma cried out to him again, then she turned her attention to the dragon as Lily began to fly toward them, "Hold your fire till I tell you! Lily, over here! Hey! Come on, Lily! Come on!"_

 _And just when the dragon flew down to where she was nearly on top of them, Emma shouted again, "Now!"_

 _"That was close," Killian said again excitedly after he immediately fired the canon upon her command as the cannon ball he loaded struck Lily out of the sky, causing her to fall into the ocean, and then everything once again became calm as Emma laughed. "Cheers. You did it."_

 _"We did it," Emma corrected him as she turned back to him once again with a smile on her face and took a sip from his flask after he offered her a drink, but immediately became disgusted by the foul taste in her mouth. "What is that?"_

 _He looked at her as he responded, "It's goat's milk."_

 _She scoffed as she asked, "Where's your rum?"_

 _"I'm allergic," the deckhand answered with a shake of his head. "Never touch the stuff."_

 _"Of course you are," the beautiful woman stated while she stared at him and he realized then that she clearly knew him, even though he didn't recognize her in return."_

 _Killian looked into her eyes as he asked somberly, "Can I ask you a question? You trusted me with your life just now. Why?"_

 _Emma thought carefully as she replied quietly, "It's complicated. Might take a while."_

 _"My schedule's pretty clear," he responded without any doubt in his voice._

 _"Okay," she answered sternly. "Let's first work on your fighting skills. Then, we've got to help Regina stop that wedding."_

Maleficent appeared behind the younger woman in black smoke when Killian's memory that had hit him so suddenly faded again, causing him to fall to the ground on his knees as he clutched at his head in pain, while Lily smiled and knelt down before him, then she spoke up saying, "Don't worry, Hook. I can make it so that these visions you're having will disappear for good."

Lilly lifted his head gently so that he was forced to look weakly into her eyes, which began to glow yellow until she closed them as she leaned in to kiss him deeply while he struggled to break away from her. When she finally released him, Killian fell the rest of the way to the ground as he slowly lost consciousness, then Maleficent walked around Lily and rested her hand over the pirate's back while she looked over at her daughter.

The Dragon Sorceress said in frustration, "It appears the Savior's boy was right. The curse is fighting back as his mind is trying to remember who he really is."

"We need to make sure that can't happen," Lily replied coldly as she looked worryingly at her mother.

"Killian!" a voice cried out with fear as Emma suddenly came running toward her childhood friend and Maleficent through the trees with her gun raised when she saw the two villains threatening the man she loved while he laid unconscious on the muddy ground between them, then August swiftly ran up behind the Savior. "Get away from him, witch! Lily, please. What are you doing?"

The younger of the two sorceresses rose to her feet again while Maleficent remained kneeling over Hook, then Lily glared at Emma as she responded, "What am I doing? I'm finally being who you and your hero parents have made me. I'm tired of fighting it. I've tried, for thirty years I've tried. I wanted to be your friend, Emma. To try to do the right thing by you so that I could show you that I'm not the screw up you thought I was when you turned your back on me all those years ago. But what do I get for it? Nothing! Nothing, but heartache and a cold shoulder from my so called best friend and her pirate. I hit on him yesterday in Gold's shop. Did he get the chance to tell you that? Or did my storm at sea get in the way of your happy little adventure?"

August spoke up as he asked angrily, "That was you too? You nearly killed them. Killian would have drown if it wasn't for another friend of ours."

"Plans change," the anti-Savior answered curtly. "Hook rejected and humiliated me when I tried to kiss him."

"Because he loves me," Emma replied furiously toward the woman still standing before her.

Lily glared at the other woman as she responded, "Yeah, I know it. And I knew it then too, but being the pirate that he was before you came into his life… I heard all of the stories from Smee and his crew while you and the other heroes were off in the Underworld. They celebrated their Captain's life one night by regaling the rest of the town with the many tales of their pirating days and how their Captain loved many women. So, I thought that maybe…"

Her old friend interrupted, "Killian isn't that man anymore and he wasn't like that as his crewmen believe he was."

"You're probably right," the brunette answered in frustration. "Believe me, Emma. I know that showing advances on Hook was wrong, but I couldn't help myself. It's the evil inside of me that your parents put there. It makes me do things that I know are wrong and I'm tired of trying to be anything other than what I am."

"So you nearly drown him and when that fails, you cast a curse on him to make Killian forget who he really is and about me, then hurt him when he begins to show signs that he's fighting against what you've done to him?" Emma asked with disbelief. "I brought you here to Storybrooke, back to your mother. Isn't that what you wanted? I forgave you, Lily. I wanted… I still want to be your friend."

Lily glared at her as she replied bitterly, "But you haven't been. You really don't get it. You've been too busy for me, too concerned with your boyfriend."

The Savior suddenly cried, "Killian died! I was busy because I was trying to save him and myself from the darkness. Despite everything we tried to do, Killian died because of me and what I did to him after I became the Dark One. I had to save him because he gave his life to save all of us, including you. I couldn't lose him then and I won't lose him now. What have you done to him?"

"Other than make him forget all about you and kiss those beautiful lips of his, nothing yet," she responded cruelly, then moved to stand above Killian and her mother who was still kneeling over the pirate Captain still unconscious on the ground. "But just you wait. I can't be like you, Emma. I can't be a hero because you and your parents made me a villain every bit as powerful as Maleficent always was. You stole my happiness! So now all of you are going to pay for it. And your boyfriend, he's the first one of you who gets to suffer. Because of you!"

"Lily, no!" Emma shouted fearfully as she rushed forward to try to grab hold of her former friend when the two Dragon Sorceresses both vanished within clouds of black smoke with Hook. "Killian!"

August reached out to touch her shoulder as he stated, "We need to get back to town to talk to your family and the others."

She shook her head as she asked fearfully, "How could I have let this happen? I should have followed Killian to protect him. How did I not know they were behind all this?"

"Because Lily was your friend and you wanted to believe that she and Maleficent had changed like many other villains have because of you," her closest friend answered. "We will find Killian again, Emma. And when we do, we'll find a way to stop and punish them both for all they've done and are about to do."

"Right now, I only care about Killian," Emma spoke again without waver. "But Maleficent and Lily will pay once I know he's alright."


	21. Chapter 21

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty-One

When Emma and August finally made their way back into town, they pulled up outside of the pawnshop where Snow and David were just walking out of after talking to Gold, then Snow rushed toward her daughter's car as she called out, "Emma! Did you find him?"

As she got out of her car, the Savior shook her head in frustration and kept her head down while August climbed out as well when he answered, "We were too late. Killian somehow made his way into the middle of the woods and when we got there, Maleficent and Lily had already arrived. They were kneeling over him and Killian was unconscious."

"They took him," Emma replied curtly, then angrily wiped away the tears that she was fighting to keep back. "I wanted to shoot her. I wanted to kill her when I saw that Killian was hurt. I just couldn't take the shot. It wouldn't have helped Killian and I'm not a villain, but because I couldn't act, they've got him. They have Killian because I don't have my powers and they do!"

"You couldn't have known, Emma," David responded firmly. "Both Lily and Maleficent were working hard to change. Or at least we thought they were."

Snow spoke again saying, "You know, I believe that Maleficent was really trying to change. She was sincere when we talked to her. You know, when we helped her to find her daughter when Lily tried to leave town. I saw the look in her eyes and she desperately wanted to get past her old life."

Emma looked at her mother as she answered, "I've gotten the same feeling, from Maleficent and Lily too. She wanted to stay to try to find her father. I thought I had gotten through to her, but I was wrong. When I spoke to her just now, she was angry with me for not being here for her more than I've been. That I've been ignoring her. On top of all that, she's angry with Killian for turning down her advances. That's why she chose to go after him first. If she succeeds in whatever her plans are now, she'll be coming after the rest of us too and Maleficent is helping her."

"Emma's right," August quickly added. "She won't risk losing her daughter again."

"We can't blame her for that," Snow replied sadly. "David and I know how it feels to not be able to be there for our children. We would do whatever it takes to make sure we could stay together."

The Savior let out a growl and then looked up at the sign hanging down outside of Gold's as she stated, "He knows more than he's saying. What were you talking to him about?"

Her father responded, "We asked for his help to find Killian. But as you might expect, he was too busy."

"Doing what?" August asked with disbelief. "Dusting our valuables that he stole from us during the first curse?"

"That's what he was doing yesterday," Emma said coldly. "I don't care what he's doing today. I don't care if he's helping them or not. If anyone can tell us what Maleficent and Lily are up to, it's him and I'll do whatever I have to do to get him to talk."

Gold stepped outside of the shop as he answered. "I'm afraid that I can't actually help you with that, Miss. Swan. If you've lost your pirate, this time… it's on you. I will no longer help you to keep track of him. I believe I've made myself very clear about that. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have something of dire importance I must tend to right now."

As he began to walk away from them, the Savior called out, "We want Isaac's book!"

"I've told you what I want for it in return," the villain called back while he continued walking away. "Give up the mermaid's bracelet, and then we'll talk."

"Gold!" she shouted angrily when Rumple swiftly disappeared in a cloud of red smoke to get away from them. "Damn him!"

She turned around as she looked back at her parents and asked, "Where are Henry and Regina?"

They began walking down the street toward the diner as David replied, "They went to different places where they thought Killian might have gone. I'll call them to tell them to meet us back at our apartment."

"Don't bother," Emma responded in anger. "I'm heading back to the Jolly Roger alone and I'll call Regina on the way. I need her help to see if we can find where dragons like to hide out. If we get anything, I'll call you."

"Emma wait," her father pleaded when she began to storm off until she stopped, but didn't turn around. "We'll find him. And we'll break the spell that's on him too. But going off angry and running into danger in the frame of mind you in right now, will only make saving Killian harder for you."

She spun around as she wiped away the tears falling down her cheeks and cried out, "Do you really think I don't know that? Of course I know it. That's why I'm going back down to the harbor to his ship. Because like for Killian, being on the water is comforting. I need something that will help take my mind off the fact that being the Savior probably means that I can't have my own happy ending like I fight constantly to make sure everyone else gets."

Snow immediately answered, "You can't believe that. Killian was returned to you by Zeus, the God of all Gods. If that's possible, then…"

"Please, save the hope speech," Emma replied sadly as she looked at her mother with dead eyes. "I just can't take it right now. If I do succeed in saving him this time, then maybe I'll listen. But right now, I only want him to live. And if that means that I have to push him away to make sure that he'll be safe, then so be it."

"Our daughter won't give up on herself, Snow," Charming responded quietly as he pulled his wife into his arms to comfort her when their daughter continued to walk away from them, this time without turning back. "And when we do save Killian, he won't allow her to push him away because he's just as stubborn as she is."

While he held her close, she whispered, "What if she's right? What if all this keeps happening to them because Emma is the Savior?"

David said firmly, "I don't believe it. And they'll prove it."


	22. Chapter 22

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty-Two

Killian awoke slowly and then struggled to sit up from the cold, wet, and hard ground he found himself laying against, his one wrist and both of his ankles shackled to the stone wall beside him in order to prevent him escaping from his newfound captivity. As he tried to raise himself up, he groaned painfully and fell back as agony suddenly shot through his mind, then swiftly flooded the rest of his body. He closed his eyes tightly until the pain passed as much as he knew it would, then opened them again. Because his imprisonment was pitch black, Killian was unable to see anything even right in front of him, but the feeling of the ground and the wall around him, he figured he must be within a cave of sorts, wherever his abductors had taken him.

"I'm glad to see you're awake," a woman's voice called out to him gently through the darkness as Killian began to struggle to free himself, though not before noticing that the hook that was his left hand was missing. "I was worried that you might have been hurt worse than we realized."

"Who… What do you want… with me?" Hook asked fearfully, as pain sounded in his own voice when he moved too quickly while he tried to back away as his captor neared. "Have I offended… or hurt you? If I have… forgive me. I never…"

The woman cut him off as she interrupted, "I didn't bring you here for an apology. My name is Lily. Does my name mean anything to you?"

He responded weakly, "No. I fear, it doesn't. Please, whatever I may have done… I am sorry. If it isn't an apology you seek, then why… why have you brought me here?"

"Are you afraid?" another woman asked cruelly as a bright light suddenly began to emit from what Killian could now see was a magical staff within the second woman's hand as it lit up the cavern enough for each of them to see around them.

"Yes," Killian replied honestly as he struggled against the sudden brightness to look upon their faces while Lily and Maleficent stood over him. "I admit I'm a coward. I'm nothing, but a lowly deckhand sold long ago to Captain Blackbeard, a dreaded pirate across the high seas and throughout many realms. If you seek wealth, I assure you, I have nothing. And no one will give anything for me if you seek ransom."

Lily knelt down to become eye level with him as she questioned again smugly, "What about Emma and her family? Do you really believe they wouldn't give anything to save you?"

He looked at her sadly as he answered, "If you mean the beautiful woman who claims to love me… I ran away from her and all those trying to help me. They believe me to be a man whom I couldn't possibly be. My last words to her were harsh and cruel. Surely she will realize she was wrong about me and move on to find her real true love."

"And what about your visions?" the older woman enquired sternly.

"I don't… I don't know of any visions," Hook responded in confusion. "I'm no seer, nor do I possess any kind of magic."

Maleficent turned to her daughter as Lily rose again and spoke up quietly saying, "You have succeeded in strengthening the curse. You've done very well, Lily. I stand by what I said earlier. You will one day surpass me and become even more powerful than I could have ever hoped to be."

The younger sorceress glared down at the man at her feet as he continued to struggle against his bindings, then she waved her hand over him to make Killian drift back into a deep sleep and replied, "At least that's one thing I have to thank Emma and her parents for. Hook doesn't remember her or her son from what happened while we were all trapped within the Author's reality, but he still remembers them and that they've told him who he really is. What if the doubt in his mind is enough?"

"Even if it is, he's at our mercy," her mother answered cruelly. "And so are Emma and the other heroes, so long as he remains at our mercy. Come on, it's time we begin the next part in our plan. I don't wish to remain in this putrid cave any longer than is necessary. I won't have my daughter live as I once had to, alone and in misery while trapped within the darkness of your mind."

"We won't," Lily stated quietly. "Because I'm not alone any longer, Mom. I finally found you and I won't let them take me from you again, or you from me. They will all pay for what they've done to both of us."

Onboard the Jolly Roger…

Emma walked across the ship's deck and slowly made her way down into Killian's quarters, but she froze and stood in the center of the room as she looked around her sadly, then finally sank down on his bed while she became lost in her thoughts. She was angry, but even more so than that, she was afraid. Afraid to lose the man she loved again and afraid that if she did, that she would lose herself completely to the grief she felt every time he's died because of her. If she failed him, there would be no bringing him back like the four times before.

 _Emma laid down and closed her eyes to rest and to try to calm her mind, but when she did, she became caught within a memory_ _, finding herself on a familiar street in the middle of a marketplace within the Enchanted Forest as Hook stood before her while he roamed his hand over his holstered sword and looked at her as he asked with disbelief, "You're telling me that... in this other reality, I'm an expert with such a weapon?"_

 _She smiled at him as she responded, "You're a regular Jack sparrow."_

 _"Is that good?" he asked in confusion, not understanding that she was comparing him to a movie character._

 _"Here," she stated as she walked around him, then Killian became flustered when she drew herself close to him and laid her hand over his own._

 _When they pulled the blade from his scabbard together and raised it into the air, Emma then guided his hand to show him the very movements he had once taught her while she continued calmly, "Let me show you how to use it. They say once you become an expert, your subconscious takes over. Back in my world, that's what we call muscle memory."_

 _"Tell me more about this reality you want to return to," he whispered as he looked back at her into her eyes and she into his after they re-sheathed his sword. "Us, for example. I sense that we, uh... We may be close."_

 _The Savior smiled at him as she replied, "Very."_

 _With surprise, Hook suddenly asked, "Really? Well, I'm starting to get jealous of the other me."_

 _"Let's see what food Henry's discovered, I'm starving," Emma answered as she started to walk away from him, while he began to follow after her until they were both interrupted when Lily, her parents, Grumpy, and more of the Evil Queen's guards from the Author's reality he created for all of them stepped out into the open to attack them._

 _"There they are," Lily spoke up saying anxiously as she started walking after them until she stopped to wait for orders, as Hook immediately drew his sword once again. "It's as I told you, My Queen. The one-handed pirate was helping them. And the boy was with them, as well."_

 _Emma just stared at her parents upon seeing them as the Evil Queen and the leader of her knights until she was pulled out her shock when Grumpy suddenly charged Killian with his own sword raised and knocked it from his hand while Hook backed away in fear as the dwarf called out coldly, "Tell us where the child is hiding!"_

 _The Savior immediately stepped in to defend Killian as she shoved Grumpy back and to the ground while she shouted angrily, "Hey! Back off, dwarf! Or they'll change your name to Stumpy!"_

 _"I know you," Snow White said callously to her daughter, not recognizing Emma as her daughter. "You're... Emma. The mad hag who was locked in the tower. I almost didn't recognize you out of your chains."_

 _"You're the one that's hard to recognize," Emma responded. "Both of you. This isn't who you are."_

 _The Queen looked at the blonde as she replied strangely, "Tell me... Who are we?"_

 _She answered steadfastly, "You're my parents. I'm the product of your true love. You taught me how to be a hero. You taught me how to believe in hope. And I do. And now I need you to believe in it too."_

 _"You're right," her mother responded worryingly, acting as though she was ashamed of her actions, while Hook reached down to pick up his fallen sword again and walked up to stand with the Savior. "Emma. Hope is a very powerful thing. Which is why I'm going to have to snuff it out of you and that awful son of yours."_

 _"Kill them," she ordered as she turned back to her soldiers again._

 _However, David suddenly cut them off when Henry walked into the open several feet away from them with a bag of food in his arms as the Black Knight pointed toward the boy and spoke up saying, "Wait! There he is."_

 _Emma and Hook both looked back behind them upon her father's announcement as Snow White replied cruelly, "My, my. I am going to enjoy watching him die in front of his mother."_

 _"Save Henry," Killian whispered to the woman beside him as he closed his eyes to try to muster up every ounce of bravery he could find within him._

 _"Killian, you can't beat them," she answered fearfully, looking between him and her parents._

 _Hook looked at her and stood tall while he responded with more confidence, "If I can help return things to how they were meant to be, then what happens to me here won't matter, will it? Now go. Save your boy."_

 _Emma fearfully looked at him for a moment and quickly did like he told her to do, but when she reached her son, they both turned back to Killian while he swiftly kicked out one of the posts of the balcony holding up the bundles of feed and grains above the Queen's soldiers to knock them all out, including Grumpy and Lily, then David advanced on him again as he asked smugly, "Is she worth your life, Pirate?"_

 _"I'm willing to find out," the deckhand replied nervously, then the leader of the Black Knights struck Hook's sword almost playfully as he believed Hook was going to be easy to defeat, while Killian whimpered in fear when David kept charging him, faster and harder._

 _"What do you know?" Hook asked with surprise at himself when despite the soldier's stronger advances, he somehow managed to finally knock David down to the ground after he struck him in his face with his elbow. "I'm a natural."_

 _However, Killian immediately raised his sword again as Snow White approached him while he said sternly, "Hey! What about you, Your Majesty? Shall I make quick work...?"_

 _All of a sudden David came up behind Killian and stabbed him in his back with a dagger to cut him off while he gasped in pain, causing him to drop his sword as Emma fearfully cried out, "No!"_

 _"I never did like pirates," the villain stated cruelly in Hook's ear as he struggled to breathe through his agony._

 _"Mom!" Henry called out to her as Emma attempted to go to Killian's aid while her father held him in place and twisted the blade in deeper to hurt Hook even more than he already had. "We have to get out of here! Mom!"_

 _Emma whimpered in fear when David finally released the man she loved and was forced to watch while Killian finally collapsed to the ground as he died. David wiped the blood off his blade on the sleeve of his shirt while Snow White conjured a fire ball in the palm of her hand and cast it at Emma and Henry, which is when Emma suddenly gasped awake from her thoughts as she swiftly sat up, finding herself once again on Killian's ship within his quarters where she had begun to drift off._

Regina arrived in the doorway of the room just in time to see her friend gasp in fear as she was awakened from the nightmare that had obviously plagued her, then the dark haired woman asked quietly, "Emma, are you alright?"

Upon hearing someone calling out to her, the Savior turned her head toward Regina as she muttered, "What? Uh... yeah. I'm fine. At least, I will be when this is finally all over."

"So long as we save Killian that is," the Mayor retorted cynically as she moved to sit down beside the blonde woman.

"Right," she answered coldly as she glared at the former Queen. "Thank you for coming back here. I needed some time alone. I had to get away from everyone else who were constantly trying to tell me everything was going to be okay."

Regina smiled as she responded sadly, "I know exactly what you mean. Trust me. What did you have in mind to help you find him?"

Emma placed her hand over her heart as she replied quietly, "Earlier I had Mother Superior locate him by feeling for the other half of my heart. I was hoping you could do the same?"

"I'll definitely try," the other woman answered as Emma pulled her hand away while Regina did as Blue had done earlier, but after a few moments, Regina's eyes darkened and then pulled her hand away.

"What is it?" the Savior asked worryingly upon seeing the fearful look on her friend's face.

When she didn't responded right away, Emma asked more forcefully, "Regina, what's wrong?"

Regina replied worryingly, "I can't feel anything, but your own heartbeat. I should be able to feel two heartbeats, yours and Hook's. I just can't."

"No," the younger woman stated curtly as she rose to her feet, keeping her eyes on the former Queen. "I can't feel him either, but it's because he's still unconscious. He isn't dead!"

"Of course not," Regina quickly answered to correct herself. "I only meant to say that Maleficent or Lily obviously have their hideout cloaked and not with some simple cloaking spell either. We're not going to be able to find Killian this way. I'm so sorry."

Emma closed her eyes as she responded, "We have to do something. Tell me there's something else we can do."

Regina shook her head as she replied, "Rumpelstiltskin is the only one who has power strong enough to bypass whatever the witches have done and he's not in the mood to help us anymore. Without your own powers, or Henry's…"

"What about yours?" the Savior cried angrily. "You were the Evil Queen for crying out loud! That bastard taught you everything you know! I'm sorry, Regina. I'm just so scared. I can't… Before you walked in here, the memory of Killian dying when we were in Isaac's reality flashed through my mind. That was the first time I watched him die in front of me because I was powerless to stop it. He died in Camelot and then again when he begged me to kill him to save us all again. He died in the Enchanted Forest because of his father. There isn't another chance if he dies now. I won't be able to save him for a fifth time."

"It won't come to that," Regina answered coldly. "I'll be damned if I allow Maleficent to best me. I haven't let her yet and I don't intend to start now."


	23. Chapter 23

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty-Three

Years ago in Eric's Maritime Kingdom…

 _Inside a beautiful palace, the Prince and his people within the kingdom were having a grand ball in Ursula's honor and while Snow White and a mermaid with newfound legs were standing aside to watch the dancers, Prince Eric suddenly spotted the beautiful red headed woman staring at him as well, then Snow finally encouraged Ariel to go up to the man she had come to see again as the Princess pushed her friend forward as she spoke up saying, "Love at first sight doesn't need much prompting."_

 _However, as Ariel and the Prince started walking toward one another, she suddenly tripped as she stuttered, "Oh! Uhh!"_

 _"Would you like to dance?" Eric asked her kindly and then offered her his hand to help her to stand. "Might be easier than walking."_

 _"No one's dancing," she nervously replied as she quickly looked around her, then back at him._

 _The Prince looked around the large room as well until he turned back to the beautiful woman before him, offered her his hand again to encourage her to join him, walked around her and motioned to the musicians to play music, then he answered, "Well, that's one of the perks of being the prince. If I want to dance, I can. I'm Eric."_

 _The red head smiled at him as she stated, "Ariel."_

 _"You look familiar," Eric said as he bowed before her. "Have we met?"_

 _"Uh... I don't think so," she responded nervously while she curtsied back._

 _When the Prince took her hand in his own again, he replied, "I know where it's from."_

 _The mermaid fearfully asked, "Where?"_

 _"I was in a shipwreck," he continued when they finally began to dance as the music sounded around them. "I nearly drowned. Someone saved me. I didn't see them, but... I've had a recurring dream since then, of a face. Your face."_

 _"That can't be," Ariel answered, looking away for a moment and then kept her eyes trained on his. "I'm new in town, so... How could I have possibly saved you?"_

 _Eric responded, "I know. Ursula's the one who saved me. And in doing so, she showed me a vision of my future. That's the face I saw. That's you."_

 _She exhaled and then spoke again saying, "Ursula is just a myth."_

 _"Is she?" the charming man before her replied. "Cause you're right here in front of me. Now what brings you to our kingdom?"_

 _"Well... I wanna see the world," the red headed woman answered after she sighed._

 _The Prince smiled at her as he responded, "Then you and I have something in common. I'm leaving in the morning... a grand expedition... to do just that."_

 _She quickly asked, "What?"_

 _"I've been planning it for years," he continued. "This shall be my final Ursula ball, for tomorrow, I'm exploring the unknown lands... the desert from this realm to Agrabah."_

 _"You're actually doing it," Ariel replied excitedly. "I've always wanted to see the world."_

 _Eric looked at her as he answered sincerely, "Then come. I see it in your eyes. You want to. Unless I've misread things."_

 _When they finally stopped dancing, she stepped back as she stuttered again, "No. Um, I mean... Yes. I mean no."_

 _"I'm pressuring you," the man still before her responded. "That's unfair. How about this? Tomorrow morning, I'll wait for you. If you show up, I'll be filled with joy. If you don't, well... I may be heartbroken, but I'll understand. So nice to meet you, Ariel."_

In Storybrooke…

"When you walked away from me that night, I was so afraid that that would be the last time I would ever see you," Ariel stated quietly while she and Eric slowly walked along the beach as they held each other's hands.

The Prince kept his eyes down in front of them while he replied quietly, "So was I. And for a long time, it was. When you didn't meet me that morning, I was heartbroken just as I said I would be. But then you found me again, right here in this strange, beautiful town where I lived trapped under a curse while I searched for the face of a woman I didn't know I knew. And then you came for me and told me everything that happened."

The mermaid looked down at the bracelet on her wrist once again as she answered sadly, "And now one of our friends has been cursed as you were and taken captive. I know that our friends said we can wait until Henry finds the quill, but Eric… Hook is in danger. I don't ever want to leave your side again, or risk that I will never again be able to dance with you, or sleep in our bed together again. However, it's possible that if we give Gold my bracelet now, we might be able to renegotiate the terms of his deal. He can have the sea bracelet and perhaps something more of value such as the gold clasp on your cape."

"It was a gift from Ursula herself and Rumpelstiltskin did possess it once," she continued as she pulled the clasp off while Eric caught the red cape from around his shoulders before it fell. "Surely its worth is more than gold."

"It is," a voice sounded from behind them, as Ariel and Eric spun around to find Ursula herself standing before them holding a trident within her hand. "It summoned me back here to Storybrooke and I heard your dilemma. I wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind when I've heard your pleas for my help before, but things have changed for me and I'm no longer the villain I was. It appears Maleficent hasn't."

Ariel stared at the God's daughter as she responded nervously, "Wow! You're… you're really her. You're Ursula, the Sea Witch."

Ursula smiled and walked toward them, taking the clasp with her likeness on it that Eric had been given long ago in her hands as she replied somberly, "I am. And I've come to repay a debt I owe Captain Hook. We once made a deal, my voice in return for Gold's plan to destroy the heroes' happy endings so that the villains can have theirs. But Hook gave me more than just my voice that day. He reunited me with my father. Through this piece of gold, I heard that he was in trouble again. Do you have any idea where he might be?"

"No we don't, but…" the Prince started to answer until he was interrupted as Maleficent and Lily suddenly burst out in their dragon forms from within a large cave in the cliffs on the far side of the beach, hidden by the ocean's waves as they crashed against the bluff. "My God, dragons!"

"Yep, that's Maleficent all right," Ursula responded as she swiftly pushed both Ariel and Eric down behind a boulder so that the villains wouldn't see them as they flew higher into the sky. "I see Emma helped her to find her daughter after all, so why are they threatening everyone now?"

Ariel shrugged as she replied, "I don't really know the whole story beyond that her daughter is tired of fighting against her dark nature and she blames Emma, Snow, and David. They kidnapped Hook to make Emma pay first. Now, they're going to attack the town. Everyone's in real danger."

When the dragons flew over them toward the center of Storybrooke, Ursula stood again as she answered, "I'll go lend a hand, or eight if I have to."

"And Eric will go find Gold and make the deal," the mermaid quickly added as she turned to look over at her husband. "Go. And take my bracelet with you. In return, we get the book Henry needs to help his mother and Hook, as well as an idea on how we can find the pen."

"Wait, what about you?" Eric quickly asked as the woman he loved was about to pull the magical bracelet off until he stopped her. "Ariel…"

She kissed her Prince and then responded, "They must have been hiding in the cliffs' caves somewhere, which means that Hook might still be in there. I'm going to see if I can find him and help break him free. Don't worry about me, Eric. I'll be okay. It's you and everyone else who are running into trouble. Please, be careful."

The Prince kissed his wife again, then Ariel ran into the ocean while she pulled off the bracelet, tossed it to him as her legs transformed back into her tail and when she disappeared beneath the waves, the Sea Witch said smugly, "Come on, Your Highness. Let's go see what we can do to help."


	24. Chapter 24

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ariel swam toward the rocks and despite the force of the waves crashing against the bluffs, she found the open cave that the two dragons came crashing out of, then swam deep below the ocean's surface to get inside. When she surfaced again, she found that the cavern was completely dark making it impossible for her to see anything around her. The mermaid thought for a moment, then quickly pulled up the purse she wore over her shoulder and dug through it until she found one of the few bobbles she carried with her. When Ariel held it in the palm of her hand, the small shell began to glow brightly and allowed her to see the cave's walls, shoals, and embankments as she hoped it would help her to do.

"Thank you, father," she said to herself and looked around carefully for any sign of danger, but mostly for Hook as she believed he must be in there somewhere.

"Hook!" she called out quietly and then again, which was when she finally found him lying unconscious upon one of the embankments and shackled by old, rusted chains around his one wrist and ankles.

She immediately swam over to ledge and leaned over to reach out to her friend, gently touching his face and back to try to wake him as she whispered worryingly, "Hook! Oh please, please be alright. If only I had something in my bag to help me break these chains. Hook, wake up. Wake up, please."

When he didn't do as she asked, Ariel realized Killian must be under some sort of spell to keep him asleep while Maleficent and Lily were out terrorizing the townsfolk, and she knew there would be nothing she could do for him without finding someone else to help him. The only problem was that everyone was going to busy fighting the villains. However, it was then that she remembered Snow had told her that Emma had returned to Killian's ship.

Ariel looked at Hook again and stroke his face as she spoke reassuringly saying, "Don't worry. I'll be back with help. I really hate to leave you here alone again, but we're going to get you out of here soon."

She swiftly jumped back into the water and swam as fast as she could to where she knew the Jolly Roger was docked within the town's harbor, hoping that Emma would still be onboard. It was still quiet when she arrived until a loud roar suddenly sounded in in the distance, followed by several screams as the Dragon Sorceress and her daughter flew in and began to blow fire. Ariel couldn't see much of anything, but the two beasts in the sky from where she lay in the water. However, she could also see the smoke rise from the targets they had already begun to set on fire. Upon hearing the chaos erupt, both Emma and Regina ran up on the ship's deck as the mermaid raced over to the starboard side where they were running down the gangplank to the docks to catch them before they disappeared.

"Maleficent and Lily are attacking Storybrooke," Regina stated in disbelief. "Are they crazy?"

"Emma!" Ariel cried out fearfully as both woman spun around to see their friend swim up to the dock they were standing on. "Oh, thank God you're still here. You have to come, now!"

The Savior looked back toward town, then turned to her friend again as she asked, "What are you talking about? We're needed in town to defeat the villains terrorizing us now."

The red headed woman quickly retorted, "Hook needs you more. I know where he is, only I can't free him."

"Ariel's right, Emma," Regina answered. "Killian needs you more than the rest of us do. You don't have your powers, so you won't be of any help to us right now in a fight against dragons. Go."

"You found Killian?" the blonde woman asked worryingly after Regina vanished in purple smoke to go help her son and their friends, then Emma looked down at her friend in the water beneath her. "Where is he? Is he hurt?"

Ariel smiled sadly as she responded, "I don't think so, only unconscious… I think because of a spell of some kind. He's in a cave not far from here. I can take you to him, although you're obviously going to need a smaller boat to get you there. You can follow me. You're also going to need some kind of tool to help break the chains holding him. They're old and rusted, but his hook was missing and there wasn't anything there I could use to help him myself."

Emma nodded as she rushed back down into Killian's quarters to the shelves where he kept his safe, as well as a number of other things and reached up onto a higher shelf to grab the very first hook she knew he had used when Rumpelstiltskin first cut off his hand, which he's held onto for the number of years along with a chisel she's seen him use to sharpen his hook more than once, then ran back up to where Ariel was still waiting for her.

When the mermaid saw the chisel as well as the hook in her hands as Emma raced to one of the motor boats also docked nearby, Ariel asked with surprise, "He's got more than one hook?"

"The one that's missing he had made specially for himself a long time ago and has more than one use," the Savior replied in frustration while she jumped in and worked to get the boat started, then the motor rumbled to life. "Let's get going."

"We're here," the red headed woman called out when she and Emma finally arrived at the cliffs outside of the cave as Ariel rose her head up above the ocean's surface. "But you're never going to make it through the crashing waves. I can take you, but…"

Emma interrupted, "I may be able to hold my breath long enough to get inside with your help. But if Killian's unconscious, there's no way that he can. There has to be another way inside."

Ariel was about to speak again when suddenly a loud, yet beautiful voice Emma remembered hearing before echoed through the skies from far away while the waters began to descend away from the shores and cliffs, then rose again behind them and over their heads as they formed into a large wall of water by magic, beyond the powers possessed by anyone living within Storybrooke. As the singing continued, the wave long in length remained while rain fell from it over the town.

The mermaid smiled when she saw that the cave was now wide open and then stated excitedly, "We have Ursula to thank for this. She must be helping the others by putting out the dragons' fires!"

"Ursula's here in Storybrooke?" Emma asked with disbelief upon staring at the magic now surrounding them.

"Yeah," she answered quickly. "Don't worry, I promise you she's on our side. The cave's open. We need to go in now so long as the waters are no longer blocking the entrance."

When they entered, the red headed woman pulled out the gift from her father once more as the shell lit up the darkened cavern like before. As she did, it was then that Emma saw Killian lying face down and lifeless upon a rock face a few feet away like Ariel had told her he was and immediately rushed to his side. When she reached him, Emma gently rolled him over onto his back as she felt the cold, clamminess of his skin while she roamed her fingers over his face and took his hand in her own.

She leaned down and kissed his forehead, then pulled him into her arms as she spoke him quietly saying, "You're going to be alright. I may not know how to break the curse on you yet, but I can at least wake you from a sleeping spell."

Emma kissed his lips when a gust of power burst out from within her and Killian as he suddenly gasped as he awoke and fought to breathe while pain throughout his body hit him with full force. After the pain subsided, he turned his head and weakly looked into her eyes as she continued to gently caress his face, while Ariel looked on in silence from where she remained within the water. The mermaid smiled, though she knew as well as Emma did that their battle was far from over.

At first, she couldn't tell if he recognized her, but after Hook struggled to sit up, he turned to the blonde woman again as he whispered nervously, "Miss. Swan?"

"You do remember me," Emma responded with relief, then she leaned in to kiss him again without thinking until he pulled away from her as he backed up as far as he could until his shackles stopped him. "I'm so sorry, Killian. It's just… I realize that you must only remember me from our conversations earlier. I know that you're scared, but for now, please… please just let me help you out of here."

"Aye," he replied quietly, then Emma pulled out his hook and chisel from her jacket pocket and began to work at trying to break the shackles to free him. "Forgive me. I don't mean to be ungrateful. I am."

Emma smiled and then answered, "I know. I'm glad you're okay. Are you in pain?"

Hook nodded as he responded, "Yes, but it's nothing I can't handle. I've felt worse. What happened? The last thing I… Well, actually I can't remember much except for… yellow eyes, staring into my own."

"Yellow eyes?" she stated with confusion. "It must have been Lily, from before when she kidnapped you. Don't worry, as soon as we get out of here, we'll find a way to end this once and for all and get back your memories."

"I want to believe you," Killian replied sadly. "I hope so."


	25. Chapter 25

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty-Five

Meanwhile…

After Gold vanished outside of his shop to get away from the heroes pestering him, the villain reappeared within the tunnels beneath the town, then walked until he came upon a dead end where an individual wearing a large, dark gray cloak that covered the being completely and made him look like the Ghost of Christmas Future standing before him.

Rumpelstiltskin was the first one to talk a he said smugly, "I must admit, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I was informed you had arrived here in Storybrooke. Your appearance must be far worse than I imagined it would be if you must walk around your own world dressed like that."

The cloaked being turned away from him as he responded in a cold, deep voice, "You of all people have no right to judge another by what they look like, when in your true form your skin is the color and texture of a reptile of your world."

"You know of Captain Hook's popular moniker for me," Gold answered without surprise by this revelation.

"Crocodile?" the stranger stated haughtily. "Of course I have. While in my exile, I kept a close eye on all those I have found the most fascinating to help pass my time. The rivalry between you and this pirate is truly entertaining, or it was until the pirate changed and gave up his lust for revenge. You changed for the worst too, though you are once the villain you always were, until you become as powerful as all Dark Ones combined. That is why I asked my uncle for help to see if he could grant me an audience with you after you went to him for help to wake your love. And why if there is anyone who can help me, it is you."

The Dark One flicked his wrist as a cloud of red smoke conjured a small vile into his hand and then he replied, "Yes, I can indeed. Yet I fear I have only managed to gather one half of what's needed to restore you to your former glory. I have here the blood of two very powerful sorceresses, but what I need to change your appearance… That is a bit harder to come by. I know where one is, but those in its possession are not exactly prepared to give it up."

The other man finally pulled back the hood of his cloak to reveal terrible burns completely covering his face and neck, making him grotesque. He also pulled back the large sleeves to show that his hands were in the same condition as the rest of him. He glared at Rumpelstiltskin coldly while he simply stared at him for several moments before continuing.

He finally spoke again saying, "I have lived like this for thousands of years, having to listen to the many cries and screams of horror at the sight of me. I exiled myself just to get the screaming to stop. I don't care what you have to do in order to get me what you need to change my appearance so that I can return home again. If you fail, I will tell my uncle and he will put your beloved back to sleep as she was. She may not love you any longer, but I know that you love her, even if the darkness has fully consumed you now."

"Don't you worry, dearie," Gold responded upon reading a text on his phone that just appeared. "There is no longer a need for threats. I believe we may just be in luck. If you will excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Meet me inside my shop if you wish for me to continue to help you. Just be careful to avoid as many people as you can while you make your way through town, if you can. I believe you know the way?"

"I will be there," the being answered quietly as he covered himself back up within his cloak.

Inside Gold's pawnshop…

Upon entering inside the pawnshop after carefully and quickly making his way through the chaos with Ursula's help after Maleficent and Lily flew in and began their attack on the heroes, Eric found that Gold was nowhere in sight. The Prince immediately pulled out his cell phone given to him by David back when he once lived among his friends from Storybrooke and sent off an urgent message to the villain. It was less than a minute later when the shop's owner appeared behind him in his smoke.

Rumple smiled at Eric smugly as he asked, "So, have you and your mermaid changed your minds already?"

Ariel's husband pulled the sea bracelet out from inside his jacket pocket as he looked down at it sadly, then he replied, "We have. But we have a new offer for you, a new deal. If you want this bracelet, we want the Author's book. And we also need your help to find the quill that those sorceresses out there still have."

"That wasn't a part of the deal," Gold retorted coldly. "You do realize that I am being more than generous, don't you? If I wanted, I could simply take your wife's bracelet from you and you would get nothing in return. Yet I am offering you a small chance to save the pirate once again, despite my earlier sentiment when I said I would never again help said pirate."

"I thought you would say as much," the Prince responded in frustration and then also pulled out the gold clasp from his cloak. "I am also prepared to offer you this. Ariel told me you once had this in your possession and therefore would know that it is worth more than the gold that it's made out of. Ursula's here in town because she heard of our predicament. She said you can have this and she'll come to you when you call on her. She'll grant you one request of your choice, but you have to give me what we need to save Hook from Maleficent and Lily. What do you say?"

The Dark One looked at the treasure in the other man's hands, then turned his eyes to look at Eric as he answered, "I've worked with that sea witch once before and she let me down because she had gone soft. However, with that heirloom I may perhaps have a chance to get something that I've wanted from her, or more so her father, for quite some time. Very well, you have yourself a deal, dearie."

When Isaac's copy of _Heroes and Villains_ appeared upon the counter, Eric quickly grabbed it, then handed Gold the clasp and Ariel's bracelet as he responded, "I held up my end of the deal. As you can hear from all the trouble outside, I don't have more time to waste. You gave me the book, but what about Henry's quill?"

"Can you come back when the danger has passed?" Rumple suddenly asked. "I have my own business to attend to, but rest assured… I will help as we agreed. I always keep to my agreements. If you don't trust me, take your clasp back for now if you wish and take the book."

"Fine," the Prince replied sternly. "But I will be back. With your own wife if need be. I may not know much about the Dark One, but I do know you love Belle and that she can convince you to help, whether you want to or not."


	26. Chapter 26

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty-Six

Back in town…

As Maleficent and Lily flew over the town and began to blow their fire, people started screaming and running through the streets in panic, while Grumpy and the other dwarfs ran around to shout out warnings for everyone to get down and get inside. David, Snow, and Zelena all ran out from within the sheriff's office as well to do whatever they could to help, while the Wicked Witch fired the strongest of her magic to keep the dragons at bay for as long as she could.

"What the hell do these witches think they're doing?" Zelena asked curtly as she fired off another blast of magic that struck Maleficent in her wing, causing her to screech in anger, then lash back.

The Dragon Sorceress flew down low to attack the newly reformed villain until Regina suddenly appeared at her sister's side while she fired her own magic that knocked Lily out of the sky as she crashed down hard against the ground, then the former Evil Queen replied, "I think they've gone insane."

Lily immediately got back up as she roared angrily struck out at David and Snow with her wing when the Prince pulled out his sword, but Charming was able to pull his wife down to the ground before either of them could get hurt. Then the woman in dragon form flew off again to check on her daughter, who was continuing her own rampage in another part of town.

David looked around them as they all saw the dragons' fires spreading and then he called out, "We have to put these fires out, but they're not going to quit! Regina, Zelena, can you stop them?"

"Of course we can!" Regina cried back. "But what are you going to do to…"

"Leave the fires to me," Ursula responded as she and Eric came up behind them through the chaos from the direction of the beach, while the Prince from his Maritime Kingdom ran off in another direction to get to Gold's shop. "The rest of you have Maleficent and her dragon daughter to worry about."

Snow ran over to stand beside the former villain as she asked, "What do you need me to do?"

The Sea Witch looked at the Princess she had once threatened as she questioned, "You actually trust me?"

"You're here and offered to help us fight against the villains who are actually attacking us," Snow answered confidently. "And before you left with your father, you gave us information so we knew that we needed to protect our daughter from Gold. So, yeah… I trust you until you give me a reason not to. And something tells me that won't happen."

"You heroes might not be as bad as I thought you were," Ursula replied smugly, then raised her trident into the air while David ran off with Regina and Zelena to see what they could do against Maleficent and Lily. "Just stand back and enjoy the change in weather."

She raised her trident up higher into the air and began to sing as the magical staff began to glow and her power surrounded her. Her voice echoed through the skies as the waters began to descend away from the shores and cliffs, then rose up high above their heads and the buildings as they formed into a large wall of water. As the Sea Witch continued her singing, the wave long in length remained while rain fell from it over the entire town, successfully putting out the dragons' fires.

Upon seeing Ursula's magic surrounding them as they continued to run in the direction the villains flew off in, Zelena cried out, "Ursula's definitely keeping up her end. We need to do the same."

When they came upon the end of the street where the dragons were flying over their heads, David shouted back, "I'm open to suggestions. How do we bring them down?"

"Perhaps with an enchantment," Regina responded upon seeing the Prince carrying his sword, then cast a spell over it while she waved her hand and suddenly thrust the sword hard and fast through the air directly at Maleficent, striking her in her wing, knocking the dragon out of the sky as she fell to the ground somewhere within the middle of the woods. "Take that, Dragon Lady! I believe you've felt the tip of this sword before!"

"Why did you that?" David asked angrily. "We only wanted to stop them from destroying our town, not kill them!"

Zelena answered, "Relax, Your Highness. The sword looked like it merely grazed her. It got the results we wanted, didn't it? Maleficent is down and Lily flew off to help her mother. I'm sure they'll both be just fine, though perhaps a bit more pissed off at us than they were already."

The rain slowed and then disappeared as Regina replied, "That may be, but it will be a while before they'll attack again and I doubt they'll attack as dragons. By then, we'll have a better chance to defeat them now that we know they'll be coming."

"David!" Snow cried out fearfully as she came running toward her husband and flew into his arms when she found him, while Ursula slowly walked after her. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I'm fine," he responded worryingly. "But we're going to need to set up a search party in the woods for Maleficent and Lily. Maleficent's hurt and Lily has gone after her."

Snow nodded, then answered, "Fine, but we also need to make sure that everyone else is alright too. And we need to find Emma and Killian. They're missing. Ariel is too."

Ursula quickly replied, "Ariel and Eric were with me down on the beach before the Prince and I made our way here. We saw Maleficent and her daughter come flying out of a cave in the cliffs. She believes that was where they might have been holding Hook captive. She went to find him."

"And what about Emma?" David asked worryingly.

"Right here," their daughter responded as she and August slowly came walking toward them from the harbor, with Killian between them while they held him up because he was weak and exhausted. "Ariel found him, then came and got me to help her free him. We need to get to our place so Killian can lie down. Regina, can you please…"

The Mayor quickly transported everyone back to Emma's and Killian's home and found Henry and Violet were already there, when the fifteen year old asked worryingly, "Moms, Killian, Grandpa, Grandma! You're all alright! What on earth happened out there? Is everyone else okay too?"

While Emma and August carefully laid Killian down on the bed before them, as he simply nodded his head as a way to show his gratitude for helping him, Regina answered in frustration, "Maleficent and Lily chose now to attack us, as dragons. We took care of them for now, but…"

"Killian, do you remember anything that they might have said to you?" Emma asked quietly as she sat down beside him. "Did they say what their plans were?"

"I don't… don't remember much," he replied wearily as she struggled to look into Emma's eyes. "Only that… they asked about visions… I might have had though… I don't recall having… any visions."

Henry spoke again as he asked worryingly, "You don't remember the memories that started coming back to you before? You don't remember having a flashback of me coming to you for help to rescue my mom?"

He shook his head until he closed his eyes as pain in his head flared again, then Emma motioned for everyone to leave the room and once they left him to be alone, the Savior said quietly, "Ever since they took him, his pain has only gotten worse. They did something to him to strengthen the curse somehow. And when I found him, he was under a sleeping spell. I woke him with true love's kiss, which means that there's still a small part of him that knows who he really is and who I am, but that doesn't mean he's going to be able to break through the curse without Henry reversing it."

"We still have to find the quill," Violet responded.

"When we find Maleficent and Lily, we'll get it out of them somehow," David answered assuredly. "We have Regina's and Zelena's magic still."

Zelena retorted, "Right and you think that we can just make them more cooperative?"

Emma looked at them as she asked sternly, "Can't you?"

"Well of course, but it's a bit more complicated than that," Regina replied.

"I don't care," the Savior responded coldly. "I want Killian back! I know we've been through this. It's just…"

David cut her off as he answered, "We'll find a way."

After Emma walked back into their room alone to stay with Killian, Snow said, "He have to soon. They're both getting worse."


	27. Chapter 27

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Inside Gold's pawnshop…

Rumple watched the battle that took place outside from an enchanted black crystal, much like the crystal Maleficent carried upon the tip of her staff and when the fight was over as he watched the Dragon Sorceress fall, he grinned. However, the smugness he felt immediately faded when he sensed someone once again standing behind him.

"I see you have taken advantage of the chaos to find your way here," Gold said as he turned to look at the being from earlier down in the tunnels. "Certainly no one would think twice about a mysterious cloaked figure lurking around while there are dragons shooting breaths of fire to scare the lovely people of this here town. Well done."

"I only did as you suggested," the dark being answered curtly. "No more delays. Have you gotten your hands on the bracelet or not?"

The Dark One scoffed as he pulled the sea bracelet out of his coat pocket and revealed it to the God's nephew, then replied, "No more pleasantries, I understand. Shall we get this over with?"

The stranger nodded and pulled off his cloak once again as he responded, "Shall we indeed. Tell me what I must do."

"Hold out your wrist," Rumpelstiltskin answered, when the immortal standing in front of him did as he told him to do. "We will begin with your immediate appearance. So long as you keep on the mermaid's bracelet at all times, you will never have to worry about people fearing you again, at least not because you look like a hideous monster. Just think of your former glory without what made you special. That will be what the dragons' blood is for."

" _Do I, then, belong to the heavens?_ " the being spoke again quietly, closing his eyes while Rumple placed the magical bracelet upon his wrist, then waited patiently for its magic to transform him, as he began to quote a poem written about the glory that was his life. " _Why, if not so, should the heavens, fix me thus with their ceaseless blue stare. Luring me on, and my mind higher_ _, e_ _ver higher up into the sky. Drawing me ceaselessly up_ _, t_ _o heights far, far above the human? Why, when balance has been strictly studied_ _,_ _and flight calculated with the best of reason_ _, t_ _ill no aberrant element should by rights remain. Why still should the lust for ascension, seem in itself so close to madness? Nothing is that can satisfy me. Earthly novelty is too soon dulled. I am drawn higher and higher, more unstable. Closer and closer to the sun's effulgence. Why do these rays of reason destroy me? Villages below and meandering streams_ _, g_ _row tolerable as our distance grows. Why do they plead, approve, lure me_ _,_ _with promise that I may love the human_ _?_ _If only it is seen, thus from afar. Although the goal could never have been love. Nor had it been, could I ever have_ _, b_ _elonged to the heavens? I have not envied the bird its freedom_ _, n_ _or have I longed for the ease of nature. Driven by naught save this strange yearning_ _._ _For the higher and the closer to plunge myself_ _._ _Into the deep sky's blue so contrary_ _._ _To all organic joys, so far_ _, f_ _rom pleasures of superiority_ _._ _But higher and higher, dazzled perhaps by the dizzy incandescence_ _, o_ _f waxen wings. Or do I then_ _,_ _belong after all to the earth? Why, if not so should the Earth show such swiftness to encompass my fall? Granting no space to think or feel. Why did the soft indolent earth thus_ _, g_ _reet me with the shock of steel plate? Did the soft earth thus turn to steel_ _, o_ _nly to show me my own softness? That nature might bring home to me_ _._ _That to fall, not to fly, is in the order of things. More natural by far than that improbable passion, is the blue of the sky then a dream? Was it devised by the earth to which I belonged, on account of the fleeting, white-hot intoxication_ _?_ _Achieved for a moment by waxen wings? And did the heavens abet the plan to punish me? To punish me for not believing in myself_ _, o_ _r for believing too much? Too eager to know where lay my allegiance_ _,_ _or vainly assuming that already I knew all. For wanting to fly off_ _to the unknown_ _,_ _or the known. Both of them a single, blue speck of an idea?_ "

When the being finished speaking several minutes later as he opened his eyes again, he first looked down at his hands and saw that the burns that once covered them for over a thousand years had disappeared as he hope, then he immediately reached up to feel along his face and neck. Mr. Gold flicked his wrist to make a mirror appear in his hand so that the half God to see for himself the magic.

While the stranger smiled upon seeing his old self as he was long ago, Gold finally stated coldly, "That is much better. Now, as much as I appreciate good poetry, I ask that you allow me to continue so that I can get you out of my shop once and for all."

The half God replied, "I couldn't agree with you more. Do I swallow the dragons' blood?"

"If only it were that simple," the Dark One responded smugly, as she held up the vial containing the blood drops he had collected from Maleficent and Lily earlier that day, as well as his dagger he was once again tethered to. "No, unfortunately it's much worse. And it will hurt."

"Not any more so than getting scorched all over my entire body," the being said sadly. "I want to be true immortal I was always meant to be, to show my uncle that I am more than this."

Rumpelstiltskin tore back the cloth that covered the stranger's back, then used his dagger to cut two deep slits into his shoulder blades. When he finished, not caring that blood from the newly transformed being before him was pouring out from his body and onto the floor of his shop, Gold then released the two drops of the dragons' blood into the fresh wounds.

Nothing happened for several minutes until suddenly, the half God screamed as he doubled over in anguish when his skin began to tear and golden, translucent scales began to form from within his flesh that grew larger and larger as the newly formed skin turned into beautiful dragon wings.

When the magic was complete and his new wings were fully formed, the being spread them out wide and stood tall despite his pain, then he turned to the Dark One again as he spoke up saying weakly, "You… you did it. I didn't believe it was possible, but you actually succeeded."

"I am the Dark One," Gold answered smugly. "The most powerful Dark One to have ever lived thanks to my darkest rival that you once admired so much. Now that I've fulfilled my end of the deal, our business is finished. And you can tell your uncle just that when you see him again. Do try not to fly too close to the sun this time around. Even Gods such as yourself do not belong that close to heaven. You may now have dragons blood in you, but you can still most certainly get burned. Welcome to Storybrooke, dearie."


	28. Chapter 28

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Lily roared angrily as Maleficent was struck down by the Prince's sword and began to fall from the sky. The anti-Savior wanted nothing more than to kill David, as well as Regina and Zelena, but her concern and fear for her mother was stronger, as she couldn't tell how bad off she was, or if she was even still alive. Lily saw her crash hard into the ground within the middle of the woods, but she couldn't tell where she had been struck. So, instead of taking the moment to strike back as much as she wanted to, she knew she had to find her mother first. She flew off into the woods and landed within a clearing, then transformed herself back into her human form to search for her mother.

When Lily finally found her mother, the Dragon Sorceress was once again in her human form as well, lying unconscious and bleeding out from a large wound within her upper left shoulder, as the Prince's sword lay on the ground beside her. It was impossible to tell whether Maleficent was alive or dead.

"Mom, no!" the younger woman cried out fearfully as she immediately rushed to her side and pulled her into arms, while her mother slowly began to come to. "I'm so sorry. Please be okay. Mom!"

"I'm al… alright, darling," Maleficent responded weakly as she slowly opened her eyes and then looked into her daughter's eyes. "I'll be alright. The wound is… isn't as bad… as it looks, I promise. I was lucky. The last time I was struck down by Prince David's sword, the Savior killed me."

While the more powerful of the women struggled to sit up with Lily's help, Lily replied worryingly, "I should have killed him right then when I had the chance. I should have killed Emma when I first saw her again after all these years."

Her mother slowly pulled away her hand from the wound to get a better look at it as she answered with frustration, "If you had, then you never would have found your way here to Storybrooke and I never would have found you again. Besides, it wasn't Emma to blame for this attack. It was the bastard Prince and Regina to blame. I should have been more cautious of my surroundings, but I do promise you that we will make them pay for this in time. I am sorry that I failed you today, Lily."

"You didn't fail me, Mom," the younger Dragon Sorceress whispered. "I was so consumed with my hate for them, that I didn't think that there was a chance you could get hurt. I mean, you're Maleficent. I forgot that you were also my mother and that you're just as vulnerable as I am."

"Don't you worry," Maleficent responded confidently as she managed to get back onto her feet. "We still have an advantage over them, as we still have the pirate. We'll show them what happens when they make two dragons angry."

Lily wrapped her arms around Maleficent once again and then transported them both back to the cave. By then, the rain that had surrounded only the town had finally stopped and the ocean had become stilled, or just as it was before the Sea Witch had used her power over the seas to help the heroes. Maleficent recognized the singing voice, so she knew her former colleague had returned to Storybrooke.

When they arrived, Lily turned to where they had left Hook chained up and found the broken shackles, with no sign of the pirate captain as she shouted angrily, "No! How the hell did they find him? There's no way he could have gotten free on his own!"

The older sorceress collapsed weakly against the embankment upon where she stood while her daughter finally knelt down at her side, then Maleficent said sternly, "We weren't exactly su… subtle when we emerged from this cave… earlier. It's possible that someone was walking along the beach… when we began our attack."

"What are we going to do now?" Lily replied in frustration. "We can't let them get away with this, but you're wounded badly. You need a doctor, or someone who can heal you. But no one will help us because we're villains again."

"The doctor here in this town doesn't care who he treats so long as he gets paid for his services," Maleficent answered assuredly. "And he won't say a word to the heroes. Whale has no loyalty to them one way or another."

Her daughter nodded and then responded, "I would rather someone heal you so that you won't have to suffer any longer than is necessary. But if this is our only option…"

She interrupted Lily as she replied quickly, "I promise you that I will be alright, dear. If you're worried about anyone interrupting us while I am being treated, don't. I can put the proper protection spells in place. In the meantime, we still have an advantage over the heroes. Regina and David did this to me. I want them to pay as badly as you do, but we can't make another strike against them as careless as we did today. We have to work with what we have."

"And what do we have, mother?" the younger woman asked curtly. "They know where we are and even if we were to find another place to hide, you just said we can't do anything to them now."

"I never said we couldn't do anything," Maleficent answered, as she smiled and made Killian's hook appear within her hand. "This hook is a part of that pirate, which means that we still have power over him. Most likely the Savior woke him with true loves' kiss and that will help us with what I have in mind. He'll need to be awake for what comes next."

Lily smiled as well, then she responded, "Okay, but first let's get you in to see the doctor."

At the town's clinic…

It was getting later into the evening and Dr. Whale was sitting inside his office getting drunk, as he always did whenever he could get the chance, especially while in the middle of a crisis, which on an evening after a dragon attack, it was cause for him to become very drunk despite those that needed him.

However, when he opened his desk drawer and opened another bottle of whisky after his last bottle became empty, then went to take another swig, both Maleficent and Lily suddenly appeared before him within a black smoke cloud, startling him as the doctor fell back in his chair to the floor.

He fearfully cried out, "Oh God! Please… please don't hurt me."

"Relax, doctor," Maleficent replied weakly, as she started to collapse until her daughter pulled her back up and then helped her to have a seat in the chair that was once occupied by Whale.

"We didn't come here to hurt you," Lily continued curtly. "If we had, we would have already done so. As you can see, my mother needs your help."

He saw the wound in the Dragon Sorceress' shoulder as he spoke again nervously, "I can see that, but… But I have other patients to attend to. Patients who are here because of your attack. They need my help too."

Lily picked up a scalpel she saw lying on the man's desk nearby, then the Dragon Sorceress' daughter walked close to the sniveling man and pointed it his throat as she retorted angrily, "You certainly make that quite clear, seeing as you're sitting here in your office getting wasted, while your patients are out there waiting for your assistance. We can help you disappear for awhile, where no one can bother you. It's obvious you have no problem with that any other time. So, what do you say, Whale? Will you help my mother by your own recognizance, or do we have to force you to help us? I promise you, it will certainly be better for you if you come with us willingly."

"No, I mean… of course I'll help you willingly," Whale answered in frustration. "But if you want me to help her, then you have to stay here where I will have the supplies I need to treat her wound. It's deep and it will need to be taken care of properly."

"Good," Maleficent stated cruelly. "Then, let's get to work."


	29. Chapter 29

You Are Loved

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Most of the town worked together to help those who were injured or shaken during the battle, David and Henry met up with Prince Eric, Regina, and Zelena again, as well as Leroy, the rest of the dwarfs, Marco, and Belle who had also joined her friends to help out in any way she could. Once the chaos had become settled and those who needed help were taken care of, Eric explained to his friends about the deal he made with Gold, then asked if a few of them could come with him for support, if only to make sure that the Dark One fulfilled his end of their bargain without any tricks or threats. David, Henry, Belle, and Regina all walked with him into the villain's pawnshop as Rumpelstiltskin glared at them all as they entered.

"Well… Your Majesty, I see you've returned with a small army," he said coldly as his eyes stopped on his wife. "You didn't trust I would fulfill my end of our deal, did you? If there is one thing you ought to know about me, it's that I always honor my agreements, whether I want to or not. Isn't that right, Belle? Prince Charming?"

"Rumple is right," Belle replied as she looked over at Eric and nodded. "He isn't always happy about it, but he does actually what he says he will do."

Gold continued, "And that includes helping my enemies, which… all of you happen to be with the exception of my wife, even if she does side with you lot. I believe, Prince Eric, that you still have Ursula's gift which you promised me?"

The Prince handed the gold clasp over to the villain again as he answered, "And what about the quill?"

"How do we find it?" Henry asked and then pulled out the former Author's book, which Eric had given to him right after he got it back for him, from his backpack. "If I were to get close enough to it, I would be able to sense it. But we don't even know where to begin to look."

"Maleficent and Lily won't go back to the cave now that we know where it is, which means they will most likely remain hiding within the woods, somewhere near where we saw Maleficent go down," David added in frustration. "She's at least wounded, which means it's possible that she and Lily have, or are going to find someone to help her. They could be here in town as well, under a protection or cloaking spell of sorts. The dwarfs are gathering a search party together. However, there's just far too much ground to cover."

Gold looked at him as he responded coldly, "Finding the two dragons isn't a part of our deal. You will have to find them yourselves. My grandson's quill on the other hand, if you wish to find it, I can help you do that. Henry, do you happen to have the quill's ink on you per chance?"

The fifteen year old pulled the vile containing the ink as well, then handed it over to Mr. Gold as he replied, "Of course. I keep them together at all times, or at least I did until the quill was stolen from me. What are you going to do with it? You can't taint it. As you know, the ink is extremely hard to come by."

"Don't worry," Rumpelstiltskin answered smugly, while he moved to open his safe and then pulled out another quill made from a rare, magical feather. "Like you, I too have a magical quill, though mine works a bit differently than yours, as I am not an Author, nor was this given to me by Merlin or his Apprentice."

"How did you get it?" Belle asked sternly, fearing she wouldn't like his answer. "And what exactly does it do?"

The Dark One glance at her again as he responded, "Trust me when I say that you don't want to know how it came into my possession. As for the answer to your second question, it can guide you to exactly what you seek. Know that I give to you only for this one use. With the ink and your power as Author, my quill will help you find its companion. Only those with our kind of powers can use my quill's magic. Let's hope that your talent for drawing is as good as your talent for writing. I will warn you, you must know every detail of the pen if it is indeed what you want."

Henry took the quill in his hands as he admired it, then looked at Mr. Gold again as he asked, "How do I make it work exactly?"

"Exactly as I've told you," the villain replied.

"But what happens afterwards?" Henry amended in frustration. "Does the drawing transform into a map that will lead us to the pen, will I end up possessed, or something worse?"

David quickly spoke up again saying, "There's also something else we have to know before we trust you. What is the price of using this magic quill of yours? Will it hurt Henry in any way, or have any lasting effects?"

Gold chortled and then answered, "Do you honestly believe that I would give my own grandson something that would harm him?"

"Well, seeing as you once wanted to kill Henry in order to protect yourself from that seer's prophecy she told you long ago about your undoing, the answer to that question is without doubt, yes," Regina responded angrily. "You may have changed a bit since then for both the good and the bad, but you've also taken upon yourself the power of every Dark One to have ever lived after Emma tried to make you a hero. So, don't make us ask you again."

"All magic comes with a price, dearie," Rumple replied smugly. "The question you all should really be asking yourselves is… Are you willing to pay that price to break the curse over Hook and the Savior, to save that worthless pirate's life for the last time should you fail? It all comes down to you, Henry. The choice is only yours to make."

Regina grabbed her son by his shoulders to turn him around so that he was looking into her eyes as she answered fearfully, "You don't have to do this, Henry. I… Surely there has to be another way. We can find Maleficent and Lily. I'll rip out one of their hearts to force them to talk if I have to."

The teenager looked at her sadly as he responded, "No, I can't let you do that. Not even if it's for the greater good. You've worked too hard to become a hero and doing something dark like stealing another heart is wrong. I won't allow you to give back into temptation, especially after you've defeated your evil self. I'm doing this."

Henry looked worryingly at the quill in his hands, while he paused for a moment to think about his decision. Then, without any more hesitation, he dipped the quill into his ink and swiftly, but carefully began to draw on a blank page at the back of Isaac's book. At first, nothing happened once he finished drawing. Over a minute passed and everyone stared at the villain inquisitively. However, the fifteen year old's eyes suddenly rolled into the back of his head as he passed out, while both Regina and David caught him before he could hit the floor.


	30. Chapter 30

You Are Loved

Chapter Thirty

After her father, son, Violet, Zelena, and Regina left to go help out in town, Emma, Snow, August, and Ursula remained at Emma's and Killian's home while Killian struggled to rest as Emma stayed with him in their room for over an hour. She sat with him on their bed until he finally appeared to fall asleep, despite the pain she knew he was feeling, then slipped out to talk with her mother and friends who were waiting for her downstairs. The curse was taking a hell of a toll on his mind and body and when she walked into the living room, her fear for Killian was written all over her face.

"I don't understand it," Emma stated worryingly as she sat down wearily on the couch beside her mother. "When Isaac and Gold forced us all into his book, this curse never affected Killian or any of the rest of us this way. Why is he in so much pain?"

"Well, it's possible that it has something to do with the fact that it was cast by Maleficent and Lily and not the Author," Ursula answered, as she knew as much about the Author's curse as well as anyone, if not more so since she was a part of Gold's planning until she chose to side with the heroes.

The Savior shook her head and then responded, "If that were true, then I would be feeling the same effects. The only pain I'm feeling is his pain, and exhaustion, because of our heart."

The Sea Witch looked at her in confusion as she asked, "Our heart? You mean… You and Hook actually share a heart? I've only ever heard stories of that being possible, but that's all I ever thought they were; tall tales. How did that come about?"

"That's a real long story," Snow replied as she pulled her daughter into a hug while she fought to keep herself from crying again. "The short version is that Killian died and in order to save his life, Emma split her heart in half to save him. I did the same thing for David some time ago."

"Baby, it's possible that the reason why Killian's in so much pain, is because he was already feeling unwell before all of this began due to the stress he's been under," the Princess continued as Emma pulled away from her and rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. "I mean, with everything that happened between him, his father, and Liam… not to mention what happened earlier yesterday while you were all out on the Jolly Roger, with the storm Lily conjured up that nearly killed him again. Killian's still in there somewhere and he's fighting with everything he has to break free from this curse to come back to you. I can't even begin to imagine how painful it must be."

August finally spoke up saying, "That's got to be it. Even after you healed him, when he was injured from becoming tangled up in the net and nearly drowning, he was still hurting then too and that was probably more due to what happened last night too."

Emma seemed to become lost in her thoughts until she suddenly remembered something more as she stood up again and answered, "There's something else too. I didn't really think anything of it until now. And it might have been as Maleficent and Lily began to cast the curse, but before the chaos at the celebration, I heard a voice… whispers. However, it was so faint, I couldn't make out what was being said. And then I felt dizzy, but only for a moment. I looked over at Killian and I knew he felt and heard it too. It's just that with the party going on around us, we snapped out of it and didn't think any more of it. It was only a few minutes after that when Killian killed his father. I couldn't comfort him last night after that. He wouldn't say a word. But before this curse, I realized then that all the good he's ever done has all been erased in his mind. Because he once again only sees himself as the villain he was when he killed Brennan the first time. And now, even if I do manage to save him, he'll be just as lost."

All of a sudden, the floor creaked in the entryway of the living room as Emma spun around and found Killian standing there as he stepped out into the open, and the look on his face made her and the others realize that he had just heard everything Emma had just said. She stared at him with fear, while he simply looked devastated and angry. She started to walk toward him, but he took several steps back without saying a word, being unsure of what to say.

"Killian," she whispered fearfully as she tried to step closer once more. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were there. We thought you were sleeping."

"Please…don't," the man she loved responded nervously, causing Emma to stop walking again. "So it's true then? Either I am going mad and you're all a part of it, or… I really am the Killian Jones you've claimed I am and my entire life has all been nothing, but a lie. Including you. You told me why you love me and claim that I am some hero, when what I heard just now, sounds like quite the opposite. Which means… I'm either a coward as I believe, or I'm a murderer."

Emma couldn't hold back her tears any longer, while Snow stepped forward to stand beside her daughter as she looked at Emma's true love and replied, "That's not true, Killian. You are a good man and we all love and care for you. Can you really believe that my husband and I would ever be happy if our daughter loved the man you think did those terrible things?"

Killian looked at Emma again as he asked curtly, "Why didn't you tell me about the villain you just were talking about to your mother and friends here? You claimed I was this hero, a man you loved with all your heart, but how can a woman as special and… beautiful such as you, love a monster or a coward like me? I can't even begin to tell which is worse and right now it appears that I'm both."

"If only you knew, you would understand," the Savior answered despondently. "When I… we met you for the first time, you were a villain and I was afraid of you, but it wasn't long after that, that I saw something different about you. I saw that there was good in you that had been pushed down and hidden for centuries because you had been hurt so badly throughout your long life. Yet I still pushed you away because I was afraid, afraid to trust in you. I had been hurt too and I've always had a difficult time letting anyone into my heart. However, you never gave up on me. You made me see the good in you and you brought out the best in me. You've worked every day to change and be the man you are now, the man I have fallen madly in love with and want to marry with my whole heart."

"How can you look past me killing my own father?" Hook asked again wretchedly. "And apparently not just once, though I have no idea how that's even possible. I don't understand how…"

It was then that Killian suddenly gasped in pain, clutching at his head as he nearly collapsed to the floor until both Emma and August rushed forward to keep him from falling while she cried fearfully, "What's wrong, Killian? Please…"

He closed his eyes as they gently lowered him to the floor, while he struggled against the agony and responded weakly, "Blackbeard. He's attack… attacking a man, trying to… find me."

"That's not possible," Snow replied worryingly. "That dastardly pirate has no reason to come to Storybrooke. He doesn't actually own you and you're not his deckhand like you think you are. Are you seeing this happening now? Who is he attacking?"

"I don't… aah!" he continued until he gasped again. "An old man… white hair, some sort… accent. Blackbeard… has my… hook!"

It was then that it donned on everyone who Killian was talking about as August looked into Emma's eyes, then jumped to his feet and stated fearfully, "Papa!"

Marco's son swiftly ran from them to find his father at their garage where the younger man assumed he would be, then Ursula turned to Snow as she said quietly, "I'll go after August to help him if he runs into trouble with Blackbeard. Our paths have crossed on more than one occasion. You stay here to be with Emma and Hook. Good luck."


	31. Chapter 31

You Are Loved

Chapter Thirty-One

Back in Gold's pawnshop…

Regina held her son close while Henry remained unconscious, as she pleaded, "Come on. Please, Henry. Wake up! What the hell did you do to my son?"

The Dark One responded coolly, "I didn't do anything to the young Author. I warned him of the risk and he chose to do exactly what needed to be done. Don't worry, he'll be just fine in a few moments."

"He'll be fine?" the Mayor answered fearfully. "If that's true, then why is he out cold? What's happening to him?"

"A vision…" the fifteen year old answered as he suddenly awoke as if from a dream while Regina and David helped him to sit up from the floor. "I saw it. Don't worry, Mom. I'm really okay. I know who has the quill."

David looked at his grandson in confusion as he asked, "What do you mean, who has it? Don't Maleficent or Lily have it?"

Henry shook his head as he replied, "Nope. Who else would be the better ally, than the former Author who became a villain himself?"

"Isaac," Regina stated furiously as she turned her head to glare back at Gold once again. "The only person who would have been able to release him from his imprisonment within his book's page is either Henry, whom we know didn't do it, or you somehow figured out how to do it for the dragons with all your fancy powers. All his time, you knew!"

"Actually, I didn't," Rumpelstiltskin responded with a chortle. "Nor did I release Isaac Heller from where Henry stuck him. Only the current Author, can do that. Which means…"

Belle spoke up saying worryingly, "Which means that Maleficent or Lily somehow did the same thing to Henry, as they did with Violet to get the quill in the first place. Only this time, they needed him to release the Author from the page."

Henry looked between his family and friends as he retorted, "That's not possible. It just doesn't make any sense. Why would they put a spell on Violet to get her to steal the quill, then do the same to me… when they could have just placed the spell over me to give it up to them and do what else they needed in the first place?"

"Perhaps releasing the former Author to align with them was an afterthought," Prince Eric answered as Regina pulled her son in front of her and waved her handover him as she did to Violet to check him for any residual magic from the Dragon Sorceresses' spell, then got rid of it too.

"The real question you all should be asking yourselves is, why would they feel it necessary to do so?" Gold replied curtly.

It was then the Isaac walked into the shop from the back room as he responded smugly, "It wasn't because they needed an ally, but because Maleficent realized afterwards that she owed me a favor. And freeing me from you lot this afternoon just before their attack was her way of paying me that favor."

David glared at the other villain amongst them as he stepped toward him and then answered angrily, "What could she have possibly owed you a favor for? You didn't help her to find Lily. Emma did! It was you who set me and Snow on the path that led to us doing to her and her daughter what we did. And if you really wanted to be free, then what the hell are you doing here now, talking with the people who you see as the real villains?"

"I came because I know that once you all found out I was no longer in the book you stuck me in, then you would search Storybrooke, as well as the outside world for me for as long as it took to find me and put me back there," Isaac replied in frustration. "I have no doubt it wouldn't have been too long with the amount of magic you all are in possession of. Well, that is all of you except for the Savior of course. You're right. Emma did reunite Maleficent with Lily. But I gave her something else that she didn't know until they got their hands on my old quill. It showed Maleficent a revelation. I gave her the second half of her happy ending just as I promised I would before I lost my own power. I made it so that she could leave Storybrooke with her daughter, without turning back into dust."

"And you're saying she never knew about it?" Regina asked in surprise. "How did the Author's pen show Maleficent anything? It's useless in anyone else's hands besides Henry's."

The former Author responded, "Its power is beyond anyone's comprehension, even myself. And to continue to answer the Prince's second question, I came here to make a deal with you."

Regina scoffed as she asked, "What is it with you villains always wanting to make a deal?"

"It's the best way to get what we want, so long as we are not betrayed as most villains usually are," Isaac answered smugly, keeping his eyes coldly on David. "I offer you what you want, the quill in exchange for my freedom. Just like you've given Rumpelstiltskin, Maleficent, and many other villains before me. As a way to show good faith that I mean what I say, I offer you a piece of information. They are not yet finished with what they have planned. As you know, Maleficent and Lily want revenge on you Charmings for separating them for so long. Lily is the anti-Savior and therefore… As Emma has the power to give happy endings, Lily has the power to take them away and that is what she wants to do to the Savior, and both you and your wife."

"By making Killian suffer before they kill him," David replied fearfully. "And they know that making our daughter suffer by the loss of the man she loves, it will allow them to have their revenge on us as well. That isn't anything we didn't know before. Where is the quill?"

The man shook his head as he turned away from everyone and then responded, "No. If you want the quill, I need assurances that you will grant me what I want. Deal with Maleficent and Lily. Either destroy them or grant them their own freedom, I don't care which. Then, come to me at the town line where I will cross over into the Land Without Magic as I give you back the quill."

Henry immediately retorted in frustration, "But in order to defeat them we need the quill! We won't kill them, unless they leave us no other choice."

"Find another way," Isaac answered cruelly as he looked at the new Author, then turned away and walked out of the shop.

"He makes it sound simple," Regina replied. "I really hate that man."


	32. Chapter 32

You Are Loved

Chapter Thirty-Two

August ran as fast as he could toward his own home and garage where he feared his father was being attacked by another pirate captain from Killian's past, while Ursula ran behind him to help protect him should he get himself into trouble as well. However, as soon as they arrived, no one was in sight and when the man transformed from a wooden puppet ran the last few feet as he shouted his father's name, August and Ursula ran inside just as Marco stood up from where he was sitting upon a stool while carving a rocking horse he had been working on for baby Neal, then he looked at his son and the other woman with worry.

"August?" Geppetto stated in confusion as August rushed forward and pulled his father into his arms, relieved that he was actually alright. "What is it? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," the younger man replied quietly as he pulled back to look at him, then turned his head to look behind him at Ursula. "But I don't… What just happened? Killian said that he saw my father being attacked."

Marco immediately asked, "He saw me being attacked? But I'm perfect fine. By whom? I don't understand."

His son shook his head as he responded, "We don't understand it either, Papa. We were at Emma's and Killian's home talking until all of a sudden, Killian doubled over as he clutched at his head in pain, then said that he was seeing a pirate named Blackbeard hurting you with his own hook."

"I think that if there was another pirate as famous as Blackbeard himself here in Storybrooke, we would certainly know about it," the wood carver answered. "How is Killian? Is he alright?"

"It's possible that Maleficent and Lily forced the hallucination into Hook's mind as a way to distract us, to draw some of us away in order to give them the opportunity to attack Emma and Hook while they're powerless to stop them," Ursula said again sternly, then looked at the two men before her with worry for their friends. "We need to get back to them, now."

Meanwhile…

After Killian's vision left him, he collapsed in Emma's arms as he mercifully lost consciousness, while she was terrified for him as he did so. Both the Savior and her mother could see that a sheen of sweat covered his forehead, face, and neck from the strain and the anguish forced upon him. As Emma pulled him closer to her and held him, Snow rushed into another room of her daughter's home, then came back to them within a few minutes with a cold compress from their freezer, as well as a damp washcloth to wipe his body down with, and gently placed the cold compress over his brow. Emma took the cloth as Snow stood again to find a bowl to fill with clean, cool water so that they would be able to continue their ministrations.

Snow looked between them when she returned as she spoke up saying quietly, "We should move him over to the couch where he'll be more comfortable, Emma."

However, it was then that Lily appeared before them in her cloud of black magic while the younger Dragon Sorceress replied, "That won't be necessary. He won't be staying here with you any longer."

"No!" Emma responded angrily as her hold on the man she loved tightened while she glared up at the woman who used to be her best friend when she had no one else in her life. "I won't let you take him from me again. Magic or no magic, I'll fight you with every ounce of strength I have to protect him!"

"It wouldn't be much of a fight, Emma," Lily answered smugly. "It's because I stole your magic, that you can't do a thing for him. Captain Hook is going to die, slowly and painfully so that you know how it feels to have your happy ending ripped away from you, just like I told you earlier in the woods."

Snow stood up as she replied more aggressively, "Our daughter's already felt what it's like to lose him, four times! We've given you a chance, Lily. A chance to be happy again, here with your mother and in a town where we fight every day for love, and happiness, and for a peace of mind. Despite the number of times we've been attacked by numerous villains and dark magic, life here in Storybrooke has been pretty good ever since the curses have been broken. Do you really not believe you can be a part of that too? What about your father?"

Lily looked at Emma with anger, then turned back to the Princess as she responded curtly, "What about my father? Did Emma tell you I hoped to find him while I was here? It might be true. But plans changed. Both your daughter and her pirate made me see how foolish I was to think that I could be happy here."

"Why did you force a vision in his mind of Blackbeard attacking Marco?" Emma asked again with frustration. "Why did you make him believe that a man he believes owns him has come looking for him? Was that a part of the curse, or was that you? What the hell was the point?"

"A little bit of both," the anti-Savior answered callously as she took a seat on the couch where the other woman planned to lay Killian before she intruded, clearly unafraid of any kind of attack against her. "I used my mother's staff to look in on you. And I saw that her old colleague, the Sea Witch, was sitting here with you while you all were gathered around trying to prove to the poor pirate that he's worth the Savior's love. How sweet. And yet very wrong if you ask me."

Emma retorted, "We didn't."

Lily laughed at her former friend's snide remark and then replied, "No, you're right. You didn't. Anyways, I knew that if we were going to finish what my mother and I started, we hoped to get Ursula and preferably both the puppet and Snow White to leave you alone with Hook, so that the Sea Witch wouldn't be a threat to me when I arrived, and no one else would be able to interfere. I almost got everyone, except for you, Princess. But you don't have any magic of your own. You're not much of a threat."

"And what about the rest?" Snow asked in frustration. "The hallucination of Marco being attacked?"

"Well, I enchanted his hook with a simple spell that would show him one of his worst fears," the younger Sorceress continued as she pulled out Killian's hook and held it up for Emma to see. "The curse made it so that he would see the other pirate Captain. But I added the puppet man's father into the vision so that it would draw the others away like I wanted. As you can see by now, I've learned a lot from Maleficent. My own powers are getting stronger and stronger."

The Savior kept her eyes on the hook in her hand as she asked coldly, "And how is Maleficent now? She was wounded in your attack earlier. Pretty badly from what I hear. She's found someone to help her, hasn't she? She's at Whale's clinic."

Lily stood again as she responded angrily, "That's enough talk. I'm taking him with me and you'll never see him again."

"I don't think so!" Snow shouted as she suddenly threw some kind of dust over the Dragon Sorceress that caused her to stand frozen, just as Lily was about to whisk Killian away from them, while Emma laid herself over him to try to protect him the best she could against Lily's attack until she looked up at her mother in surprise upon seeing Lily become still.

"Mom?" she stated. "What did you do to her?"

Snow smiled as she answered, "I used a bit of pixie dust I asked for from Mother Superior. I figured it might come in handy should we ever come up against another villain unprepared. It's a good thing that I did."

Emma looked down at Killian's pain ridden face and then replied, "Yeah. It's a good thing. But how long will it last. And how long will it be before Maleficent comes looking for her?"

"We're back," Henry called out as the front door opened and then walked into the living room, followed by David, Regina, Belle, and Eric, all of whom froze themselves when they found Lily standing like a statue over Emma and Killian down on the floor while Hook lay unconscious in her arms. "Mom! Killian!"

"What the hell happened?" Regina asked as Henry rushed to his mother's and Killian's sides, while David rushed over to his wife. "What's Lily doing here?"

Snow assured her husband she was fine, then took Killian's hook from the woman's hand as she responded, "She attacked us after she got Ursula and August to leave so that we'd be alone and unprotected. She did something to his hook in order to conjure up a hallucination of Marco being attacked in his mind. Killian's burning up. He can't possibly take much more."

Regina immediately made a cuff appear on Lily's wrist that would neutralize her magic once she came around again, then she knelt down beside her friends on the floor as she laid her hands over Killian's chest and let her magic flow through her into him while she whispered, "I'll try to do what I can for him, Emma."

"How did you stop Lily?" David asked, looking at his wife when August, Marco, and Ursula suddenly came running back through the door, finding that the others had returned as well.

"I asked for some pixie dust from Blue," she answered. "Come on, we think Maleficent might have gone to the clinic to see Whale for help with her wound. It's time we end this so we can help Killian."


	33. Chapter 33

You Are Loved

Chapter Thirty-Three

David and August carefully lifted Killian from the floor and laid him gently on the couch once Regina finished healing him as well as she was able to. He slowly began to come around and Emma was right by his side as she took his hand in her own while she whispered soothing words to assure him he was going to be alright. Hook weakly looked around for any sign of Blackbeard, but when he saw that the man who owned him wasn't among those trying to help him, he looked to Emma for answers until he saw August and the man he watched getting attacked by his Captain within his mind standing with him.

Marco knelt down beside Emma as he spoke first saying quietly, "I assure you, my friend, I am well. I fear what you might have seen was only an illusion."

Killian looked between him and Emma as he asked, "And Black… Blackbeard?"

"He isn't here, Killian," Emma answered sadly. "He never was here. I promise, you're safe."

"You're wrong," Lily retorted cruelly as the fairy dust wore off, finally freeing her to be able to move and speak, and then attempted to use her magic to vanish, until she couldn't. "What have you done to me? Where are my powers?"

Regina smiled smugly as she replied, "Take a look at your wrist. Try all you like to remove it, but that cuff won't be coming off without one of us removing it for you, which we won't be doing."

The younger of the two Dragon Sorceresses struggled to remove the cuff, despite knowing that Regina was right and when she finally gave up trying, she raised her head to look between the heroes surrounding her, took a seat in a chair behind her, then said sternly, "Well done. It appears you've caught me. But if you think you're going to find my mother, you're wrong. Because while you may have figured out where she is, she's well protected and once she's recovered well enough to fight against you, she will come for me. You haven't won yet."

"Maybe not, but we will soon," Emma responded as Killian closed his eyes once again and turned away from everyone to try to rest again against his pain, then she turned back to her father. "We need to find her. You said that Leroy and the other dwarfs were already ready with a search party? Get them together and search the hospital from top to bottom."

"Mom, there's something else you need to know," Henry stated worryingly, knowing that she wasn't going to like the new information they learned while at Gold's shop. "Neither Lily nor Maleficent have the quill right now."

The Savior looked over at her old friend, then back at her son in confusion as she asked curtly, "Well then, where the hell is it?"

David answered, "Isaac. Isaac's back, and they've given the quill to him to hold onto."

"But… That's not possible," Emma replied worryingly. "The only way he could have gotten released from the page we put him back into is with Henry, or if he gave the key to one of us with magic."

"Yeah, about that," Regina continued with frustration. "These bitches managed to do the same thing to Henry like they did with Violet, only this time to release the Author. It was some time just before their dragon attack. Don't worry, Henry's fine. I've already made sure."

Henry spoke up again saying, "It turns out, before the former Author wrote our alternate reality, he gave Maleficent her happy ending. She just didn't know it until she got her hands on the quill. It somehow revealed to her that she's been free all this time to leave Storybrooke without dying again. She and Lily could have left weeks ago and none of this would have happened if we had known we could help them get back home to the Enchanted Forest."

Emma looked confused as she asked, "So, Isaac fully restored Maleficent's life to her and made it so that she would have the strength she needed to forgive Mom and Dad for what they did to her, then come to me to ask for help to find Lily… And no one knew about this, including Maleficent? Why didn't that creep tell us when we arrested him?"

"Because he knew that out of the three Queens of Darkness, Maleficent was the only one desperate enough because she wanted her daughter so badly, as well as capable of showing remorse and would feel the need to repay a debt to him when the right time came," Snow responded. "I think because he wrote it before he lost his powers. He must have realized that he would need a backup plan in case we defeated him."

"Which we did when Henry became Author and broke his curse," David added. "And now he has the quill and is using it as a bargaining chip in order to ensure his freedom. It's pretty clever actually. But then he always was a snake."

Lily finally talked again as she said angrily, "My mother didn't do all this because that sniveling coward made her do it. She would have done anything to find me because she loves me. She became a villain again, because she loves me!"

Emma looked down at Killian again sadly, then she turned again to look over at her friend as she answered, "You're right. Maleficent does love you and she would do anything for you. The question is, do you love her enough to give up your hate for me and Killian, as well as for my parents? If we come to know that you will no longer be a threat to us, I am willing to put my faith in you and allow you and your mother to return to the Enchanted Forest where you'll be free to live your lives, together. Please, Lily. I really don't want to hurt either of you, or to sentence you to a life trapped within a book or behind bars."

"How is that possible after all I've done to hurt you both?" Lily asked worryingly. "I don't really hate you, Emma. But I am beyond angry, enough to want to make you suffer for taking away everything I could have had, everything I could have been were it not for you. Hook was never really to blame for anything. I just couldn't hold back my anger when he rejected me for you."

"Do you want to be happy?" Snow questioned her with pleas in her eyes. "Do you believe that living with your mother, with the freedom to be the Dragon Sorceress you were always meant to be whenever you please and with a chance to find your father, will truly make you happy?"

The younger sorceress smiled sadly as she replied, "I want that more than anything, but I don't know if I can."

It was then that Maleficent appeared with tears in her eyes upon overhearing everything within the crystal upon her staff as she responded strongly, "You don't ever have to fight against the darkness in you alone. We can fight our own darkness, together."

Lily walked over and allowed her mother to pull her into her arms as they both cried softly, then when she pulled away and wiped away the tears from her eyes, she turned back to Emma and the Savior's parents while she stated with sincerity, "We trust you. What do we have to do to prove it?"

"Help us to get the quill back so that we can reverse what you've done to Killian and me," Emma answered calmly. "We don't trust Isaac. He could destroy the quill before we have the chance to stop him. Help me save Killian."

"I think I know how we can accomplish that," Maleficent spoke again smugly.


	34. Chapter 34

You Are Loved

Chapter Thirty-Four

"So, you're planning on leaving Storybrooke, without so much as a goodbye, and with the quill my daughter and I gave you for safe keeping," Maleficent said curtly as she appeared within black smoke before the former Author standing a few feet away from the town line early the next morning, waiting for someone else to arrive, as Isaac spun around in surprise. "I told you that I would help to insure your freedom, so long as you didn't betray me. I released you from the page those heroes trapped you in. And you think you can just run with the object that is helping us to insure our own revenge?"

"Maleficent?" the small man stated nervously. "I wasn't expecting you to find me. You are certainly looking better."

The Dragon Sorceress nodded as she responded coldly, "I've always had a very high tolerance for pain. Did you really think I was going to let you walk away from us now? We're not finished. There's more work to be done and I need the boy's quill. Hand it over, now!"

Isaac shook his head as he replied, "I can't do that. I mean, I don't have it on me right now. I put it someplace for safe keeping myself. I couldn't very well risk it being caught on me should I run into one of those heroes."

"You know, I would almost believe you if I didn't know any better," she answered calmly as she began to walk around him. "But I've been keeping my eyes on you too, just as I've done with everyone else here in this God forsaken town. Did you really think that I wouldn't find out that you went to these heroes behind my back to make a separate deal with them?"

"Please, I can explain," the last Author responded quickly as he started to back towards the line while she kept walking toward him, then pulled out the quill from his vest pocket and held it in his hands, threatening to break it in half. "I will do it if you don't back away. I saved you, Maleficent. I gave you everything you ever wanted. But if you kill me, neither of us will get what we want."

All of a sudden, Regina appeared behind Isaac within her own magic cloud of smoke and swiftly punched the little man with her fist when he spun around upon hearing her voice as she replied, "That quill isn't yours to destroy, or to control any longer."

Isaac fell to the ground hard as the magical pen slipped out of his hand and rolled across the pavement before him until Henry immediately ran over from behind Maleficent as he swiftly snatched it up and held it tightly in his hands, feeling the relief wash over him now that he's finally gotten it back.

The man who once lived as a peddler man within the Enchanted Forest glared at the fifteen year old, then turned around to look between the two women as well, as he spoke up again saying, "Henry? You mean, all of this was just a rouse? But I thought…"

"That we wanted to kill the heroes one by one?" Lily answered as she appeared beside her mother, along with David and Snow. "That was the plan. But we've had a change of heart thanks to them. They've helped me to see how wrong I've been and that if I was going to follow through with my revenge, then I was going to lose everything I ever really wanted, especially my mother."

"I need to get back to Mom and Killian," Henry said anxiously as he glanced over at his adopted mother, then raced to her side. "Please, let's go!"

It was then that he and Regina both vanished again, while David stepped forward while he pulled handcuffs from his back pocket and waved them in front of the former Author as he stated, "You know what these are. It's time for you to go back to jail."

Isaac glared at the Prince as he locked his wrists into the cuffs and responded coldly, "I don't see how this is fair. Maleficent and Lily both have threatened your family. They cursed your daughter and Hook, and nearly killed him. Yet you're arresting me and letting them remain free? How is that fair?"

"They're not getting away with what they've done scot free," Snow replied as she moved to stand beside her husband. "They will no longer be allowed here in Storybrooke. And thanks to you, they can return home."

"I don't see how that's much of a punishment," the prisoner answered curtly.

Lily looked over at the Charmings as she responded, "I've lost the chance to make it up to my best friend for the sins I've committed. I want Emma and I to be as we once were, but now that isn't possible. She'll never trust me fully even if she has forgiven me for what I've done to her and the man she loves."

Isaac scoffed and replied, "That's hardly the same thing as being forced into a book."

"That's enough," David answered curtly, then pulled the man forward and looked at the two Sorceresses. "It's time to go. First to the station and then back to Emma's."

Meanwhile…

"What if he destroys the quill before they can get it back?" Emma asked nervously as she continued to sit with Killian with his head lying across her lap while he remained within a restless sleep on the couch, both Marco and August waited with her for the others to return, and Ursula and Prince Eric paced back and forth while they waited.

August looked between his friends and father, then responded, "He won't, Emma. You have to have trust that everything's going to be alright very soon now."

She glared back at him as she replied coolly, "I wish I had your kind of faith. You know I've never been very good at that."

"Maybe not, but you've certainly gotten better over the years, because of Killian and Henry," the wooden man child answered sincerely. "You'll see that I'm right."

"Mom, we did it!" Henry suddenly called out as he reappeared with Regina in her purple smoke. "I've got my quill back."

Emma immediately pulled Killian tighter against her as she looked down at him, then back at her son as she pleaded fearfully, "Do it, Henry! Please fix this."

August quickly grabbed the original copy of _Heroes and Demons_ from off the table nearby him and handed it down to the teenager as he knelt down on the floor as he prepared to write, pulling out the ink from his coat pocket, opened the Author's book up to the back of the book where there was a blank page, then spoke as he finally began to write the words, " _Thanks to our Savior's ability to forgive and her plea for her childhood friend, Lily to be better than she believed herself to be, let the Sorceresses' curse become undone._ "

All of a sudden, a bright white light filled the room as everyone shielded their eyes. As it finally faded, Emma immediately took Killian's face in her hand, gently stroking his cheek while willing him to awaken, but nothing seemed to change. She leaned down to kiss his lips as tears began to fall, then she turned back to Henry with a fearful look on her face.

"Why didn't it work?" she asked quickly.

"It had to have worked," Henry responded nervously. "I felt the magic pour out of me as I wrote it and we all saw it."

Marco once again knelt down beside the couch as he rested his hand over Killian's forehead and then replied, "It's possible he isn't waking because he is so ill."

The Savior's son quickly cried out again, "That's it. Mom, your magic should be working again. You can heal him the rest of the way now."

"Please, Killian," Emma whispered as she closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling her magic once again begin to flow through her and into the man she loved so deeply. "I love you. I will always love you."

"And I you, Emma," Hook answered faintly as he opened eyes slowly opened after a few moments of silence and sadly looked into hers, then he turned away from her as she struggled to sit up. "I appreciate your efforts, everyone's efforts to save my life. However, I fear that our love… Swan, doesn't change the man I am. A monster and a coward. If there's one thing… this experience has taught me, it's that I can't… can't be who you need. And I don't deserve you."

When he stood up and started to walk away, Emma immediately grabbed his hand to stop him while she stood as well, then without him looking back at her, she responded, "You're wrong, Killian. Please, don't believe that."

He finally turned his head as he looked into her eyes again and replied, "I need time. I want nothing more, than to take you into my arms and kiss you again, to pretend like none of this ever happened. But I can't. Because it did. Forgive me, love."

"Emma, you did it!" Snow spoke up happily as she and David both walked inside their home, followed by Maleficent and Lily, just after Hook stormed past them as they walked up the steps. "He's alright, but… Where is he going?"

"He's still ashamed," Emma answered brokenly as she continued to stare at the spot where Killian had been standing moments ago. "How am I supposed to help him?"

Days later…

Emma stood around the alter within Regina's vault with her parents and the former Evil Queen while Regina slowly waved her hand over Killian's own left hand within the jar from Gold's shop that Emma had taken back from the Dark One days before the chaos began and as she did so, Snow asked, "So, have you tried speaking to him yet?"

The Savior shook her head and responded quietly, "I tried to a few nights ago, but he wouldn't see me. All I could get out was that Maleficent, Lily, and now Liam and his grandmother have returned to the Enchanted Forest along with his father's body. I want to talk to him about everything, but Killian asked for time and I'm trying to give him his space. I know that he's been staying back on his ship and that he's barely come out. Henry's tried to talk to him, but he's hardly spoken to anyone, least of all to me. What the hell am I supposed to do? I know how badly all of this messed with his head. He's more broken than he's ever been and I doubt that anything I could say would be able to assure him that he's wrong about who he is. He thinks he's a coward and a murderer. Not just because he killed Brennan in front of everyone at the celebration, but because he killed him before out of anger, as he's killed many others while he was villain. And then it's like he's completely forgotten that even while he was cursed to be a coward in our alternate reality, he still fought against his every instinct to protect Henry and me from…"

"From me and your mother when we killed him," David interrupted somberly, to pull his daughter out of her tirade.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so bitter or accusing," the Savior replied as she looked between her parents. "What do I do?"

Snow took her daughter's hand as she answered, "The right words will come when you need them to."

When Regina finished and lowered her hand, Emma broke away from the current conversation as she looked over at her friend and asked, "Well, can you tell if Gold was telling the truth? Is his hand really cursed… or did that bastard manage to just get so deep into Killian's head and fears that Killian subconsciously reverted back to his old self?"

"No, it's definitely cursed," Regina responded curtly. "If Killian hadn't have made that deal with Gold to have him remove his hand again, then it would have eventually overpowered and consumed him until he became the evil version of Captain Hook again. Despite what the Dark One made him do to get him to remove it, Killian made the right decision."

"Gold wanted him to believe that he was capable of being the ruthless pirate he was before, back when the two of you met," David said worryingly. "It's no wonder he can't believe he's not that man anymore. No matter what he does, or how hard he fights to be the hero we all know he is, he's constantly being reminded by villains that he's one of them."

Emma flicked her wrist as Killian's hand from the jar appeared in her own, then she asked Regina worryingly, "Can you remove the curse?"

The Mayor looked at the Savior cynically as she replied, "With a little time perhaps. But Emma, I doubt you'll be able to talk Killian into taking his hand back, due to his fear alone. He's in a lot of pain right now after all he's been through, yet he's still more worried about you. He won't willingly take back his hand no matter how much he might want to, if he fears that there's the slightest chance he could hurt you, or Henry, and everyone else he loves. I suggest that you don't push him with this."

"Regina's right," Snow added sadly. "Surely it doesn't matter to you?"

"I don't care that he has a hook for a hand," Emma answered with sincerity. "I never did care. I only want him to be able to care about himself the way that I do, the way that he used to pretend when he flirted with me up on that beanstalk, or in Neverland, or when we first started dating. I haven't seen that side of him in a long time. When he's ready to talk about it, I can give him a small bit of self appreciation back if he wants it. In the meantime, will you hold onto it for me, Regina? And remove the curse if you can?"

She nodded and then Emma turned to leave as she stated, "I have to think. I'm going to go for a walk, but I'll see you tonight at Granny's."

Later that evening…

After Emma left the vault, she walked down to the harbor and found that the Jolly Roger wasn't tied to the docks, then she looked out toward the horizon and saw his ship off in the distance. She didn't know if Killian would be ready to talk to her yet, but she needed to talk to him. If only to assure him again that she will love him forever no matter what. Emma used her magic to transport herself to the Jolly Roger and as she did, she looked around for Killian, then found him standing against the starboard side of his ship while he stared off in the distance at the sunset. However, all words seemed to disappear from her mind as she saw him, especially as she slowly walked toward him until she was beside him and saw the sadness on his face and in his eyes.

While he kept his eyes forward, Hook was the one to speak first saying quietly, "I had a feeling you would appear here tonight, Swan."

"I've been here every night, waiting for you," she whispered.

"I know that none of this has been easy for you and for that… I am truly sorry, but how can I possibly deserve you?" Killian asked desperately as his head fell and he closed his eyes to hold in the tears threatening to fall.

The Savior gently raised his head and turned him around to face her, then placed her hand over his cheek as she asked sadly, "Do you really believe all you've done to become the man standing before me now, the man I've fallen in love with because he did the impossible by making me believe in love and in myself again, isn't deserving of my love? Pushing me away, isn't protecting me, Killian. When we said goodbye in the Underworld, I promised you that I wouldn't ever put my walls back up, but how can I not if you won't forgive yourself enough to believe in us. I love you. So much that it hurts when we're apart and it terrifies me. I've watched you die four times and then almost again over the last several days. And by the way, if anyone was to blame for what happened to you, it was me. Lily was angry at me, but she set aside her anger because deep down, she is good too. And I saw that, because of you."

He looked at her with confusion as he questioned, "But I didn't say or do anything."

"I learned to forgive you despite your past and as I saw how much you struggled to believe in yourself, I realized that that was really all Lily wanted to," Emma responded as she smiled at him. "She and Maleficent will both be alright because they have each other again and are home in the Enchanted Forest where they belong. Ariel and Eric are together again because Ursula left to speak with her father and gave them another sea bracelet. And she'll be staying here in Storybrooke for awhile to help fight alongside us against whatever else comes next. As for Liam and his grandmother… they've returned to the Enchanted Forest as well, with your father's body so they can give him a proper burial. You killed your father that night all those years ago because you were in pain over what he did to you, but this time… you killed him in order to protect my father. Brennan gave you no choice because he wanted you to suffer. But you can't let him win. The real point I am trying to make, is that without you I'm lost, Killian. I need you. You once told me, all sins can be forgiven when someone loves you. And I do love you, no matter what. Please don't forget that."

"Forgive me for being a coward," he replied, then suddenly pulled her into his arms and held her close as he kissed her tenderly. "For everything. I love you too, Emma. I always will."

She smiled as she said smugly, "I know that. That means there's still a wedding in our future. Now, let's get back to Granny's. Everyone's safe and happy again, except that they're all waiting for you to come back to us. They all miss you, especially Henry. Will you be alright?"

Killian nodded and then answered, "Aye. It may be some time before I can return to being me charming self, but so long as you're always by my side, I'll be fine. And I will always strive to be the hero that you believe I am, Swan. Always."

The End


End file.
